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.
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
Inauguración de la Filial en EE.UU.
1992
Se inaugura una de las fundiciones más modernas de América Latina en Guaramirim/SC.
1993
Es distribuida la primera participación de ganancias.
WEG recibe por la primera vez la certificación ISO 9001.
1994
Creación de los Centros de Negocios Industriales
1995
Filial en Alemania.
Realización de la primera Acción Comunitaria WEG.
1996
Filial en Inglaterra.
1997
WEG recibe Premio Nacional de Calidad.
1998
Filiales en Francia, España y Suecia.
1999
WEG alcanza 79% de market share en Brasil, en motores eléctricos, y exporta 29% de su producción a cerca de 55 países.
2000
Adquisición de las primeras fábricas en el exterior (Argentina y México).
2001
Facturación del primero billón de reales en un sólo año.
WEG recibe por la primera vez la certificación ISO 14001.
2002
Adquisición de fábrica en Portugal
Suministro del mayor transformador WEG hasta entonces (200MVA, 550kV).
2003
Inauguración del Museo WEG.
Fabricación del mayor generador del mundo hasta entonces (50.000kVA, 13,8kV, 4 polos).
2005
Inauguración de la primera fábrica en China.
2005
Apertura de filial en Singapur.
2005
Compra de la fábrica de Manaus.
2006
Producción del motor número 100.000.000.
2007
Adquisición de Trafo, fabricante de transformadores de fuerza de gran porte y de subestaciones móviles y fijas con unidades en Gravataí (RS) y Hortolândia (SP).
2007
WEG adquiere el fabricante de turbinas hidráulicas Hidráulica Industrial S / A - HISA. La adquisición refuerza la posición de WEG en el segmento de generación, transmisión y distribución de energía.
2007
Entra en el índice nuevo Mercado de Bovespa, una sección destinada a la negociación de acciones de empresas que adoptan, voluntariamente, prácticas de gobernabilidad corporativa adicionales a las que son exigidas por la legislación brasileña.
2008
Décio da Silva takes over the presidency of the WEG Board of Directors and Harry Schmelzer Jr. takes over as WEG's CEO
Opening of a branch in Russia.
2009
Building of the Transformer Manufacturing Plant in Mexico (Huehuetoca)
2010
Beginning of the manufacturing operations of WEG India.
2010
Acquisition of Instrutech, in São Paulo, a Brazilian company manufacturer of safety, commercial and industrial automation products and systems.
2010
Acquisition of share control of Voltran.
2010
Acquisition of Zest Electric, WEG distributor in South Africa.
2010
Acquisition of the coating factory Pulverlux in Argentina.
Acquisition of the distributor FOURNAIS A/S in Denmark.
2011
Acquisition of Watt Drive AntriebstechnikGmbH, Austrian company specialized in the development and manufacture of gearboxes, gearmotors, frequency inverters and drive systems.
2011
Acquisition of the Electric Machinery company in the USA. A company specialized in motors, generators and exciters.
2011
Establecimiento de Joint-Venture con CESTARI Industrial y Comercial – empresa de Monte Alto/SP, para el desarrollo, fabricación y comercialización de reductores y motorreductores.
2011
Inicio de la fabricación de aerogeneradores
Lanzamiento del Libro WEG 50 años.
Inauguración de WEG India (WII) en Hosur.
Creación de la filial en Perú.
Inauguración de 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
First supply in wind power generation. Equipment with capacity of 90 MW was installed on a wind farm located in the Northeast of Brazil.
International sales reached 51% (NOI) of WEG's revenue.
Acquisition of Indústria de Tintas e Vernizes Paumar S.A., a company specialized in manufacturing and trading coatings, varnishes, enamels and lacquers.
2013
Opening of the branch in Ecuador.
Acquisition of the transformer and substation manufacturing business from Hawker Siddeley Electric Africa (Pty) Ltd. located in South Africa. Manufacturer of miniature substations and distribution transformers.
2014
Acquisition of Antriebstechnik KATT Hessen GmbH, a company that manufactures special high speed motors. Headquartered in Homberg with a branch in Dresden, Germany.
2014
Acquisition of the FTC Energy Group, a company that manufactures and assembles electrical panels for process automation based in Bogota, Colombia.
2014
Acquisition of the manufacturing plant of motors and gearmotors from Württembergische Elektromotoren GmbH located in Germany.
Acquisition of the manufacturing plants of electric motors for appliances Changzhou Sinya Electromotor Co. and of the manufacturing plant of component parts Changzhou Machine Master Co. located in China.
Acquisition of a service unit from Efacec Energy Service in the city of Jaboatão dos Guararapes (State of Pernambuco).
2015
Acquisition of the manufacturing plant of high voltage transformers, miniature substations, molded-case circuit breakers and related services from TSS Transformers (Pty) Ltd (“TSS”), manufacturer headquartered in Heidelberg (Gauteng), South Africa.
Acquisition of Transformadores Suntec, headquartered in Medelin, Colombia
WEG is chosen Company of the Year by Exame magazine.
WEG has manufacturing plants in eleven countries and commercial offices in 29 countries. It has over 31,000 employees.
Acquisition of Autrial S.L., manufacturer of electrical panels for industrial installations and equipment headquartered in Valencia, Spain.
2016
WEG acquires Bluffton Motor Works, LCC., an electric motor factory in the USA.
WEG greenfield manufacturing site in Rugao, China.
2017
Acquires the Brazilian turbines manufacturer TGM. Acquires the US transformers business of CG Power.
2019
Enters in the business of solutions for industry 4.0 with the creation of a specific department for digital businesses and the acquisition of 51% of the share capital of PPI-Multitask and V2COM.
2020
Acquires the control of two startups: BirminD, a technology company active in the Artificial Intelligence market applied to Industrial Analytics and MVISIA, which is specialized in artificial intelligence solutions applied to computer vision for the industry.
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 fornece os maiores geradores elétricos já produzidos pela companhia.
- WEG anuncia constituição de Joint Venture com o Grupo Cevital. Empresa atuará na produção e venda de motores elétricos para lavadoras de roupa, com foco inicial no mercado da Argélia e norte da África.
- WEG adquire o negócio de Motion Control da Companhia Italiana Gefran. Empresa fabricante de sensores, componentes e equipamentos de automação industrial, com fábricas na Itália, Alemanha, China e Índia. O valor da aquisição é estimado em € 23,0 milhões.
2022
• Lançamento do Programa WEG de Carbono Neutro com as seguintes metas gerais:
1. Reduzir 52%* das emissões** até 2030
2. Atingir Net-Zero (emissões** líquidas neutras) até 2050
*Média global das operações WEG. Metas por operação e país seguem a NDC (Contribuição Nacionalmente Determinada) do país ou 52%, o que for maior. **Emissões Globais WEG do Escopo 1 (combustíveis fósseis) e 2 (energia não renovável), ano base 2021.
Propósito: Desenvolver tecnologias e soluções para contribuir na construção de um mundo mais eficiente e sustentável.
• Inauguração da fábrica de motores WEG na Argélia.
2023
- WEG adquire totalidade das ações da BirminD.
- WEG anuncia investimento de US$ 40 milhões para aquisição de novo terreno no México
- WEG compra negócios de motores elétricos industriais e geradores da Regal Rexnord
- WEG anuncia investimentos de R$ 1,2 bilhão para expansão de capacidade de produção de Transformadores.
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