Check out the milestones that have marked WEG's history of success
Linha do Tempo
A WEG, do princípio aos dias de hoje. Conheça a evolução da nossa História, saiba mais da nossa evolução e conquistas.
1961
En abril de 1961 nace la idea de crear una empresa para fabricar motores eléctricos. El día 16 de septiembre, Werner Ricardo Voigt, Eggon João de la Silva y Geraldo Werninghaus fundan WEG. Capital Social inicial: Cr$ 3.600,00 (tres mil seiscientos cruzeiros).
1964
WEG compra el terreno e inicia la construcción del Parque Fabril I. El mismo año, comienza a fabricar en ese local.
1966
1ª Convención Nacional de Ventas y Fundación de la Asociación Recreativa de WEG (ARWEG).
Creada la primera CIPA.
1968
Creación del CENTROWEG. En aquella época, la región no ofrecía capacitación técnica, fue entonces que los fundadores crearon el CENTROWEG para capacitar a los colaboradores. La escuela inserta adolescentes en el mundo de la tecnología, revelando e incentivando grandes talentos.
1970
Creada la política de calidad WEG y producción del 1er motor conforme las Normas ABNT e IEC. La preocupación por la calidad está en el ADN de WEG. Desde su fundación, la empresa se preocupa por cumplir todas las normas exigidas.
1970
Inicio de las exportaciones a Guatemala, Uruguay, Paraguay Ecuador y Bolivia.
1971
Acciones de WEG entran en la Bolsa de Valores.
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
Abertura de um escritório na Alemanha com uma parceria local – Motores Jara
1977
Inauguração do parque Fabril II.
1980
Implantação do Centro Tecnológico (Parque Fabril I)
1981
Criação da WEG Acionamentos
Criação da WEG Transformadores e WEG Energia.
1982
Criação do CCQ.
Lançamento da primeira linha de contactores e relés de proteção.
Lançados os primeiros motores de grande potência – 100 a 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
Inauguração da Filial nos EUA.
1992
Inaugura uma das fundições mais modernas da América Latina em Guaramirim/SC.
1993
Distribuída a primeira participação nos lucros.
A WEG recebe pela primeira vez a certificação ISO 9001.
1994
Criação dos Centros de Negócios Industriais
1995
Filial na Alemanha.
Realização da primeira Ação Comunitária WEG.
1996
Filial na Inglaterra.
1997
WEG recebe Prêmio Nacional de Qualidade.
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
Produção do motor número 100.000.000.
2007
Aquisição da Trafo, fabricante de transformadores de força de grande porte e de subestações móveis e fixas com unidades em Gravataí (RS) e Hortolândia (SP).
2007
Adquire a fabricante de turbinas hidraúlicas Hidráulica Industrial S/A - HISA. A aquisição reforça a atuação da WEG no segmento de geração, transmissão e distribuição de energia.
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 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
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
Establishment of the Joint-Venture with CESTARI Industrial e Comercial – a company located in the city of Monte Alto (State of São Paulo) – to develop, manufacture and trade gearboxes and gearmotors.
2011
Beginning of the manufacturing of wind turbines
Publishing of the book WEG 50 years.
Opening of WEG India (WII) in Hosur.
Establishment of the branch in Peru.
Opening of WEG Linhares (State of Espírito Santo).
2012
Acquisition of Injetel Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Plásticos Ltda., a company specialized in manufacturing and trading switches, sockets and plugs for commercial and residential applications.
2012
Acquisition of Stardur Tintas Especiais Ltda., a company of industrial and automotive refinish coatings located in the city of Indaiatuba (State of São Paulo).
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 suministra los generadores eléctricos más grandes jamás producidos por la empresa.
- WEG anuncia el establecimiento de una Joint Venture con el Grupo Cevital. La empresa operará en la producción y venta de motores eléctricos para lavadoras, con un enfoque inicial en el mercado de Argelia y el norte de África.
- WEG adquiere el negocio de Control de Movimiento de la Compañía Italiana Gefran. Una empresa fabricante de sensores, componentes y equipos de automatización industrial, con fábricas en Italia, Alemania, China e India. El valor de la adquisición se estima en € 23.0 millones.
2022
• Lanzamiento del Programa WEG de Carbono Neutral con los siguientes objetivos generales:
1. Reducir el 52%* de las emisiones** para 2030
2. Alcanzar Net-Zero (emisiones netas neutras) para 2050
*Promedio global de las operaciones de WEG. Los objetivos por operación y país siguen la Contribución Nacionalmente Determinada (NDC) del país o el 52%, lo que sea mayor.
**Emisiones Globales de WEG de Alcance 1 (combustibles fósiles) y 2 (energía no renovable), año base 2021. Propósito: Desarrollar tecnologías y soluciones para contribuir a construir un mundo más eficiente y sostenible.
• Inauguración de la fábrica de motores WEG en Argelia.
2023
- WEG adquiere todas las acciones de BirminD.
- WEG anuncia una inversión de US$ 40 millones para adquirir un nuevo terreno en México.
- WEG adquiere los negocios de motores eléctricos industriales y generadores de Regal Rexnord.
- WEG anuncia inversiones de R$ 1.2 mil millones para la expansión de la capacidad de producción de Transformadores.
2024
Alberto Yoshikazu Kuba es el nuevo presidente ejecutivo de WEG, asumiendo el cargo anteriormente ocupado por Harry Schmelzer Jr. durante 16 años.
Foto: Exame/Leandro Fonseca