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  1. Home
  2. History - Timeline

Check out the milestones that have marked WEG's history of success

Timeline

WEG, from the beginning up today. Get to know our history, know more about our evolution and achievements.

1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

1961

In April 1961 the idea of creating a company to make electric motors is conceived. On September 16, Werner Ricardo Voigt, Eggon João da Silva and Geraldo Werninghaus founded WEG. Initial Capital Stock: Cr$ 3,600.00 (three thousand and six hundred cruzeiros).

1964

WEG buys the piece of land and begins building the Manufacturing Plant I. In the same year, it starts making motors in the plant.

1966

1st National Sales Convention and Foundation of WEG Recreational Association (ARWEG).

First Internal Committee on Accident Prevention is created.

1968

Creation of CENTROWEG. Then, the region did not offer technical training, and the founders created CENTROWEG to provide qualifications for the employees. The school takes adolescents to the world of technology, discovering and encouraging great talents.

1970

Creation of WEG quality policy and production of 1st motor according to ABNT and IEC standards. Concern with quality is in WEG's DNA. Since the foundation, the company has been concerned to meet all required standards.

1970

Beginning of exportation to Guatemala, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador and Bolivia.

1971

WEG's shares start to be traded on the Stock Market.

1972

First reforestation park is created.

1973

Purchase of the piece of land for Manufacturing Plant II and beginning of the building of the factory.

Exportation of motors reaches 20 countries.

1975

One million motors produced.

1976

Opening of an office in Germany with a local partnership – Motores Jara

1977

Opening of Manufacturing Plant II.

1980

Implementation of the Technological Center (Manufacturing Plant I)

1981

Creation of WEG Acionamentos

Creation of WEG Transformadores and WEG Energia.

1982

Creation of the QCC.

Launch of the first line of contactors and protection relays.

Launch of the first high power motors – 100 to 200 KW

1983

WEG Química is created

1986

WEG receives the first award: “Exame Magazine - Best and Biggest Ones”.

1988

Creation of WEG Automação

1989

Mr. Eggon João da Silva leaves the presidency and hands it over to Décio da Silva. The founders form the Board of Directors.

Production of the first transformer of 10 thousand kVA, 138 kV, with 35 tons and 5.6m high. The largest produced in Santa Catarina state then.

1991

Opening of a Branch in the USA.

1992

Opening of one of the most modern foundries of Latin America in the city of Guaramirim (State of Santa Catarina).

 

1993

Distribution of the first profit sharing.

WEG receives, for the first time, the ISO 9001 certification.

1994

Creation of the Industrial Business Centers

1995

Branch in Germany.

The first WEG Community Action is carried out.

1996

Branch in England.

1997

WEG receives the National Quality Award.

1998

Branches in France, Spain and Sweden.

1999

WEG reaches 79% of market share of electric motors in Brazil, and it exports 29% of its production to approximately 55 countries.

2000

Acquisition of the first factory abroad (Argentina and Mexico).

2001

Revenue reaches the first billion reais in a single year.

WEG receives ISO 14001 certification.

2002

Acquisition of manufacturing plant in Portugal.

Supply of the largest WEG transformer until then (200MVA, 550kV).

2003

Opening of WEG museum.

Manufacture of the largest generator of the world (50,000kVA, 13.8kV, 4 poles).

2005

Opening of the first manufacturing plant in China.

2005

Opening of a branch in Singapore.

2005

Acquisition of the manufacturing plant in Manaus.

2006

Production of the motor number 100,000,000.

2007

Acquisition of Trafo, manufacturer of large power transformers, and conventional and mobile substations, with units in the city of Gravataí (State of Rio Grande do Sul) and Hortolândia (State of São Paulo).

2007

WEG acquire the hydraulic turbines manufacturer Hidráulica Industrial S/A - HISA. The acquisition reinforces WEG's position on the energy generation, transmission and distribution segment.

2007

Entra no índice Novo Mercado da Bovespa, uma seção destinada à negociação de ações de empresas que adotam, voluntariamente, práticas de governança corporativa adicionais às que são exigidas pela legislação brasileira.

2008

Décio da Silva assume a presidência do Conselho de Administração da WEG e Harry Schmelzer Jr. assume a presidência executiva da WEG

Abertura da filial da Rússia.

2009

Construção da fábrica de Transformadores no México (Huehuetoca)

2010

Início das operações fabris da WEG Índia.

2010

Aquisição da Instrutech, de São Paulo, empresa brasileira fabricante de produtos e sistemas de automação industrial e comercial e de segurança.

2010

Aquisição do controle acionário da Voltran

2010

Aquisição da Zest Electric, distribuidor WEG na África do Sul.

2010

Aquisição da fábrica de tintas Pulverlux, da Argentina.

Aquisição do distribuidor FOURNAIS A/S na Dinamarca.

2011

Aquisição da Watt Drive Antriebstechnik GmbH, companhia austríaca especializada no desenvolvimento e fabricação de redutores, motorredutores, inversores de frequência e sistemas de acionamento.

2011

Compra da empresa Electric Machinery, nos Estados Unidos. Empresa especializada em motores, geradores e excitatrizes.

2011

Estabelecimento de Joint-Venture com a CESTARI Industrial e Comercial – empresa de Monte Alto/SP, para o desenvolvimento, a fabricação e comercialização de redutores e motorredutores.

2011

Início da fabricação de aerogeradores

Lançamento do Livro WEG 50 anos.

Inauguração da WEG Índia (WII), em Hosur.

Criação da filial no Peru.

Inauguração da WEG Linhares/ES.

2012

Aquisição da Injetel Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Plásticos Ltda., empresa especializada na fabricação e comercialização de interruptores, tomadas e plugues para aplicações comerciais e prediais.

2012

Aquisição da empresa de tintas industriais e de repintura automotiva Stardur Tintas Especiais Ltda. de Indaiatuba/SP.

2012

Primeiro fornecimento em geração de energia eólica. Equipamentos com capacidade de 90 MW foram instalados em parque eólico localizado no Nordeste do Brasil.

Vendas no mercado externo alcançaram 51% (ROL) do faturamento da WEG.

Aquisição da Indústria de Tintas e Vernizes Paumar S.A., empresa especializada na fabricação e comercialização de tintas, vernizes, esmaltes e lacas.

2013

Criação da filial WEG no Equador.

Aquisição de fábrica de transformadores e subestações pertencentes à Hawker Siddeley Electric Africa, na África do Sul. Fabricante de mini-subestações e transformadores de distribuição.

2014

Aquisição da Antriebstechnik KATT Hessen GmbH, empresa que atua na fabricação de motores especiais de alta velocidade. Com sede em Homberg e filial em Dresden na Alemanha.

2014

Acquisition de FTC Energy Group, une société de production et d'assemblage de panneaux électriques dédiés aux systèmes automatisés de Bogota, en Colombie.

2014

Acquisition de l'usine de production de moteurs et boites de vitesses de Württembergische Elektromotoren GmbH, une société implantée en Allemagne.

Acquisition des usines de production de moteurs électriques de Changzhou Sinya Electromotor Co. et de l'usine de production de pièces électroniques de Changzhou Machine Master Co. en Chine.

Acquisition de l'unité de services de la société Efacec Energy Service de Jaboatão dos Guararapes (État de Pernambuco).

2015

Acquisition de l'usine de production de transformateurs à haute tension, de sous-stations miniatures, des disjoncteurs moulés et de services de la société TSS Transformers (Pty) Ltd (“TSS”), dont le siège social est implanté à Heidelberg (Gauteng), en Agrique du Sud.

Acquisition de Transformadores Suntec, dont le siège se situe à Medelin, en Colombie.

WEG est élue Société de l'année par le magazine Exame.

WEG dispose d'usines de production dans onze pays et de locaux dans 29 pays. La société emploie plus de 31 000 personnes.

Acquisition d'Autrial S.L., entreprise de production de panneaux électriques pour les dispositifs et équipements industriels dont le siège se situe à Valence en Espagne.

2016

WEG acquires Bluffton Motor Works, LCC., an electric motor factory in the USA.

WEG greenfield manufacturing site in Rugao, China.

2017

Acquisition du fabricant de turbines brésilien TGM. Acquisition de l'activité transformateurs américains de CG Power.

2019

Entrée dans le secteur des solutions pour l'industrie 4.0 avec la création d'un département spécifique pour les entreprises digitales et l'acquisition de 51% du capital de PPI-Multitask et de V2COM.

2020

Acquisition de deux startups : BirminD, une entreprise technologique active sur le marché de l'intelligence artificielle appliquée à l'analyse industrielle et MVISIA, spécialisée dans les solutions d'intelligence artificielle appliquées à la vision par ordinateur pour l'industrie.

2020

  • WEG acquires the factory of Transformers and Energy Services of the Americas S.A. (“TSEA”) in Betim/MG.
  • WEG structures itself to manufacture artificial respirators for COVID-19 patients during the Pandemic

2021

  • WEG acquires Balteau Produtos Elétricos Ltda, a transformer company for instruments and measurement sets in Itajubá/MG.
  • WEG inaugurates its 5th Transformer factory in North America. Located in the city of Washington, State of Missouri, where the company already has two other units operating since 2017.

2021

  • Establishment of a WEG manufacturing unit in Turkey. The new operation will be established in 7,000 square meters of manufacturing facilities, including warehouses, engineering, and service support areas. The scope of activities includes: Manufacturing of General Proposal Low Voltage Motors and Gearboxes, as well as marketing all WEG products and solutions for the following countries: Turkey, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia.
  • WEG opens a Commercial Branch in Poland that will cover Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

2022

Announcement of the construction of a new factory in Santo Tirso, Portugal. The company intends to invest 23.5 million euros to build 22,600 m² on the same land where WEG already has a 16,300 m² operation dedicated to the manufacture of low-voltage industrial motors. It will expand the production of large electric motors and transfer its factory located in Maia to Santo Tirso, centralizing all operations in the same place. The new factory in Santo Tirso is expected to start operating in the first quarter of 2024 and generate about 100 new jobs.

2022

  • WEG supplies the largest electric generators ever produced by the company.
  • WEG announces the establishment of a Joint Venture with the Cevital Group. The company will operate in the production and sale of electric motors for washing machines, initially focusing on the market in Algeria and North Africa.
  • WEG acquires the Motion Control business of the Italian Company Gefran. A company manufacturing sensors, components, and industrial automation equipment, with factories in Italy, Germany, China, and India. The acquisition value is estimated at € 23.0 million.

2022

• Launch of the WEG Carbon Neutral Program with the following overall goals:
1. Reduce 52%* of emissions** by 2030
2. Achieve Net-Zero (neutral net emissions) by 2050
*Global average of WEG operations. Targets by operation and country follow the country's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) or 52%, whichever is higher.
**WEG Global Emissions of Scope 1 (fossil fuels) and 2 (non-renewable energy), base year 2021. Purpose: Develop technologies and solutions to contribute to building a more efficient and sustainable world.

• Inauguration of the WEG motor factory in Algeria.

2023

  • WEG acquires all shares of BirminD.
  • WEG announces a $40 million investment to acquire new land in Mexico.
  • WEG acquires industrial electric motor and generator businesses from Regal Rexnord.
  • WEG announces investments of R$ 1.2 billion for the expansion of Transformer production capacity.

2024

Alberto Yoshikazu Kuba is the new executive president of WEG, taking over the position previously held by Harry Schmelzer Jr. for 16 years.

Photo:Exame/Leandro Fonseca

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  • Email: wegecuador@weg.net
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