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
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
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 de la Silva asume la presidencia del Consejo de Administración de WEG y Harry Schmelzer Jr. asume la presidencia ejecutiva de WEG
Apertura de la filial de Rusia.
2009
Construcción de la fábrica de Transformadores en México (Huehuetoca)
2010
Inicio de las operaciones fabriles de WEG India.
2010
Adquisición de Instrutech de São Paulo, empresa brasileña fabricante de productos y sistemas de automatización industrial, comercial y de seguridad.
2010
Adquisición del control accionario de Voltran
2010
Adquisición de Zest Electric, distribuidor WEG en Sudáfrica.
2010
Adquisición de la fábrica de pinturas Pulverlux de Argentina.
Adquisición del distribuidor FOURNAIS A/S en Dinamarca.
2011
Adquisición de Watt Drive Antriebstechnik GmbH, compañía austríaca especializada en el desarrollo y fabricación de reductores, motorreductores, convertidores de frecuencia y sistemas de accionamiento.
2011
Compra de la empresa Electric Machinery, en Estados Unidos. Empresa especializada en motores, generadores y excitatrices.
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
Adquisición de Injetel Industria y Comercio de Componentes Plásticos Ltda., empresa especializada en la fabricación y comercialización de interruptores, tomacorrientes y plugs para aplicaciones comerciales y residenciales.
2012
Adquisición de la empresa de pinturas industriales y de repintado automotor Stardur Tintas Especiais Ltda. de Indaiatuba/SP.
2012
Primer suministro en generación de energía eólica. Fueron instalados equipos con capacidad de 90 MW en parque eólico localizado en el Nordeste del Brasil.
Las ventas del mercado externo alcanzaron 51% (ROL) de la facturación de WEG.
Adquisición de la industria de Pinturas y Barnices Paumar S.A., empresa especializada en la fabricación y comercialización de pinturas, barnices, esmaltes y lacas.
2013
Creación de la filial WEG en Ecuador.
Adquisición de fábrica de transformadores y subestaciones pertenecientes a Hawker Siddeley Electric Africa, en Sudáfrica. Fabricante de mini subestaciones y transformadores de distribución.
2014
Adquisición de Antriebstechnik KATT Hessen GmbH, empresa que actúa en la fabricación de motores especiales de alta velocidad. Con sede en Homberg y filial en Dresden, Alemania
2014
Adquisición de FTC Energy Group, empresa que actúa en la fabricación y montaje de tableros eléctricos para automatización de procesos, con sede en Bogotá, Colombia.
2014
Adquisición de fábrica de motores y motorreductores pertenecientes a Württembergische Elektromotoren GmbH, en Alemania
Adquisición de las fábricas de motores eléctricos para la línea blanca Changzhou Sinya Electromotor Co. y del fabricante de componentes Changzhou Machine Master Co., en China.
Adquisición de unidad de servicio de Efacec Energy Service en Jaboatão dos Guararapes, PE.
2015
Adquisición de negocio de fabricación de transformadores de alta tensión, mini subestaciones, disyuntores moldeados y servicios relacionados, pertenecientes a TSS Transformers (Pty) Ltd (“TSS”), fabricante con sede en Heidelberg (Gauteng), Sudáfrica.
Adquiere Transformadores Suntec, con sede en Medellín - Colombia.
WEG electa Empresa del Año por la Revista Exame.
WEG cuenta con parques fabriles en 11 países y filiales comerciales en 28 países. Ya son más de 31 mil colaboradores.
Adquiere Autrial S.L., fabricante de tableros eléctricos para equipos e instalaciones industriales con sede en Valencia - España.
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 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