LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG has honored Sandeep Sawant, Managing Director & CEO of Sawant Process Solutions Pvt. Ltd. from Mumbai, with the Dr.-Rudolf-Wobser-Medal. The family company's highest distinction was presented to him at an evening event during analytica 2026 in Munich, in the presence of invited guests. Dr. Gunther Wobser, President & CEO of LAUDA, personally conducted the ceremony.
LAUDA awards the Dr.-Rudolf-Wobser-Medal as its highest honor to individuals who have rendered extraordinary service to the family company. Sandeep Sawant is only the fourth external recipient in the history of this award, which Dr. Gunther Wobser established on the company's 60th anniversary and which has since been presented to a total of 22 individuals. The first two recipients were Dr. Gerhard Wobser, who attended the ceremony, and his brother Karlheinz – the two sons of the company's founder and the award's namesake, Dr. Rudolf Wobser.
The festive evening also provided an opportunity to look back on seven decades of company history: In 2026, LAUDA celebrates its 70th anniversary – from its founding by Dr. Rudolf Wobser in 1956 to its current position as the world market leader for temperature control equipment and systems.
The collaboration between LAUDA and Sawant Process Solutions began in 2009. What started as a classic sales partnership developed over the years into a close personal bond between the Wobser and Sawant families. A decisive turning point came with a visit in November 2023: Dr. Gunther Wobser traveled to India together with his wife at the invitation of Sandeep Sawant and his family – and experienced firsthand the potential that this market and this partnership hold for LAUDA. “Getting to know another culture and connecting with people is an important success factor for a family-run company where people are at the center of everything,” emphasizes Dr. Gunther Wobser.
The highlight of their shared history to date is the joint venture ‘Degree LAUDA Precision Pvt. Ltd.’, established in November 2025 and headquartered in Pune. Sandeep's daughter Devaki Sawant serves as a director of the joint company alongside Marco Hauser and Dr. Gunther Wobser. Devaki Sawant was also present at the award ceremony in Munich – a visible sign of the cross-generational dimension of this partnership.
Dr. Gunther Wobser underscored the significance of this relationship in his laudation: “What began as a sales partnership is today a bond built on mutual trust and genuine personal connection – one that LAUDA honors in the highest possible way with the Dr.-Rudolf-Wobser-Medal.”
LAUDA looks forward with confidence to the continued development of the joint company Degree LAUDA Precision and the partnership with Sawant Process Solutions in the high-growth Indian market.
