Henkel has announced the launch of its Customer Application Center in Bengaluru, marking a major investment in India’s rapidly expanding electronics manufacturing ecosystem. The new facility is designed as a collaborative innovation hub where customers and Henkel’s technical experts can jointly develop, test, and validate advanced materials for next-generation electronics.
The center represents one of Henkel’s most significant application engineering investments in the India, Middle East, and Africa (IMEA) region. It addresses a longstanding gap in India’s electronics value chain—the lack of high-quality, localised infrastructure for application testing and validation.
India’s electronics manufacturing industry has grown nearly six-fold over the past decade and continues to accelerate. This growth is driven by rising demand across sectors such as data centers, artificial intelligence computing, 5G networks, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, industrial automation, and advanced medical devices. Each of these sectors requires high-performance adhesives, thermal management materials, and protective coatings, along with faster and more localised engineering support.
Bengaluru was selected as the location due to its strong ecosystem of semiconductor design talent, electronics research and development centres, and global OEM engineering teams. The city plays a central role in India’s electronics innovation landscape, making it an ideal base for Henkel’s new initiative.
S Sunil Kumar, Country President – India at Henkel, stated that the company aims to go beyond supplying materials by becoming a development partner for manufacturers. He emphasized the importance of local collaboration in enabling faster product development and reducing time to market, particularly as the industry reaches a critical growth phase.
The 5,000-square-foot facility includes approximately 2,400 square feet of dedicated laboratory and testing space. It is designed to replicate real-world manufacturing environments, allowing customers to evaluate materials and processes under production-like conditions before scaling up.
A significant portion of the investment has been allocated to advanced laboratory equipment and testing systems, with additional resources dedicated to collaborative development infrastructure. The facility supports five key sectors: telecom and 5G, data centers and AI computing, power electronics and electric vehicles, industrial automation, and medical electronics.
Key capabilities include thermal management testing, precision dispensing technologies, electrical characterisation tools, and rapid curing systems. These capabilities enable customers to move seamlessly from prototyping and validation to full-scale production readiness.
The center also supports national initiatives such as Make in India and the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme by enabling localised engineering, process optimisation, and reliability testing. Activities that previously required overseas validation can now be conducted domestically, reducing costs and accelerating development timelines.
Henkel’s approach emphasises close collaboration, with its application engineers working directly alongside customer teams. This co-development model distinguishes the center from traditional testing facilities and ensures that solutions are tailored to specific product and manufacturing requirements.
Henkel operates globally with leading positions in both industrial and consumer markets. Its Adhesive Technologies division is a worldwide leader in adhesives, sealants, and coatings. The company also holds strong positions in consumer brands, particularly in laundry, home care, and hair care. Founded in 1876, Henkel employs around 47,000 people globally and maintains a strong focus on sustainability and innovation.
In India, Henkel operates through multiple entities and maintains a robust presence with manufacturing facilities, innovation centres, and application labs. The company continues to expand its capabilities to support the country’s growing industrial and technological landscape.
