From a small workshop to one of India’s leading field instrumentation business

By Staff Report June 5, 2025 6:34 pm IST

General Instruments is present in over 40 countries and collaborates with global companies, including Shell, SABIC, and TotalEnergies. Sarvadnya Kulkarni, CEO of General Instruments Consortium, shares his journey from a small workshop in Mumbai to becoming one of India’s leading field instrumentation companies.

How did your journey begin, transforming a single workshop into one of India’s leading field instrumentation companies with exports to over 40 countries?
General Instruments was established in 1966 by Capt. M.M. Kulkarni in a small workshop in Mumbai after serving in the Indian Army. In the early years, we manufactured temperature gauges using hand tools and employed four to five workers. The 1980s and 1990s marked a period of growth, with the expansion of manufacturing facilities and the introduction of pressure, level, and flow instruments into the product line.

Over the next two decades, we became trusted suppliers of oil, gas, power, and chemical industries in India. A significant shift occurred in the 2010s as we focused on international markets. Today, we are in over 40 countries and work with global companies such as Shell, SABIC, and TotalEnergies. Our progress should be attributed to product quality, engineering capability, and long-term customer relationships.

Can you share insights on the transition from serving domestic markets to becoming a global player? What are your future expansion plans in terms of markets and capabilities
This transition commenced in the early 2010s, driven by a strong emphasis on product quality, certifications, and strategic partnerships. This shift involved adapting to local market demands, offering customised solutions, and fostering long-term relationships. We are expanding into Saudi Arabia, Central Asia, and the U.S., propelled by large-scale infrastructure demand and a shift in global supply preferences. In support of this, we are enhancing our manufacturing capacity, investing in automation, scaling our R&D efforts, and strengthening our digital operations. Our focus remains on becoming a trusted global partner by combining engineering excellence with a local presence and responsive service, enabling us to scale further across high-value sectors and geographies.

How has globalisation influenced your collaborations with OEMs, and what challenges have you faced in navigating the complexities of borderless trade?
Globalisation has significantly expanded the horizons of our business. It has enabled us to collaborate with global OEMs and EPCS, making us a part of complex, multi-country project supply chains. These collaborations have driven us to elevate our product quality, compliance standards, and delivery commitments, enabling us to meet international benchmarks.

However, borderless trade comes with challenges—navigating fluctuating currency rates, adapting to regional certifications, managing varying lead time expectations, and ensuring logistical reliability across different geographies. Each region has its regulatory framework, requiring deep compliance expertise and agile processes. But these hurdles have made us more resilient and globally competitive.

Your upcoming 70,000 sq. ft. green manufacturing plant in Mumbai marks a major milestone. What latest technologies and machinery have been utilised at this facility, and were they sourced locally or globally? Also, share details about the automation process.
The new 70,000 sq. ft. green manufacturing facility in Mumbai exemplifies our vision for the future—sustainable and globally aligned. We have equipped the plant with CNC machining centres, coordinate measuring machines (CMMS), and robotic welding and assembly systems. These machines have been sourced from a combination of global technology providers in Germany and Japan, as well as leading Indian manufacturers, to strike a balance between performance and serviceability.

Automation is in our operations. Our ERP-integrated dashboards and mobile applications allow real-time production visibility across departments, reducing manual dependencies and enhancing decision-making speed.

How have you integrated sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance into your operations?
Sustainability is a cornerstone of our growth strategy. The new plant adheres to IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) standards, utilising natural lighting, solar panels, and energy-efficient HVAC systems. We’ve also adopted sustainable procurement practices, encouraging suppliers to align with our ESG objectives. We have successfully reduced the annual use of 1 tonne of stainless steel tag plates by utilising laser printing technologies on the gauges.

On the governance front, we have robust internal audit mechanisms, anti-corruption policies, and data protection protocols in place. Socially, we invest in local community development and skill-building programs and offer equal opportunities across our workforce. We align our reporting with global ESG frameworks to ensure transparency and accountability as we continue to scale.

With partnerships across more than 30 engineering colleges, how is your company investing in talent development for future-ready professionals?
We believe that the future of manufacturing lies in nurturing homegrown talent. Through structured partnerships with over 30 engineering colleges, we offer internships, live projects, plant visits, and guest lectures led by technical experts. We have also initiated a programme called “Campus to Corporate”, which prepares final-year students for a smooth transition into industrial roles by exposing them to real-world instrumentation challenges and organising six months of field projects.

Additionally, we have donated various laboratories to engineering institutions as part of our CSR initiative, promoting hands-on learning and ensuring that students graduate with both theoretical knowledge and industry readiness.

What are your ambitions for expanding exports and entering new geographies and industry verticals?Our ambition is to double exports in the next few years by expanding geographically and across high-growth industry verticals. We’re actively entering markets such as Saudi Arabia, Central Asia, and the U.S., where demand for quality instrumentation is driven by growth in infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing. We are also diversifying into renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and advanced process industries that require specialised, high-performance solutions. Our strategy encompasses building local partnerships, securing relevant certifications, and providing comprehensive instrumentation packages. 

By combining deep engineering expertise with agile, customer-focused service, we aim to position General Instruments as a go-to global partner for critical measurement and control needs.