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).
Establishment of WEG Europe, 1st Commercial Branch in the country in Belgium.
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
It is listed in Bovespa Novo Mercado, a segment of the stock market that trades stocks of companies that voluntarily adopt corporate governance practices in addition to those required by the Brazilian legislation.
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
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
Beginn der Fertigung von Windturbinen
Veröffentlichung des Buchs „WEG 50 years
Eröffnung von WEG India (WII) in Hosur
Errichtung einer Niederlassung in Peru
Eröffnung von WEG Linhares (im brasil. Bundesstaat Espírito Santo)
2012
Übernahme von Injetel Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Plásticos Ltda., einem Unternehmen, das sich auf die Fertigung und den Vertrieb von Schaltern, Anschlussbuchsen und -steckern für Unternehmen und private Haushalte spezialisiert hat
2012
Übernahme von Stardur Tintas Especiais Ltda., einem Hersteller von Reparaturlacken für Industrie und Automobilanwendungen mit Sitz in der Stadt Indaiatuba (brasil. Bundesstaat São Paulo)
2012
Erste Lieferung im Bereich der Windkraftenergie. In einem Windpark im Nordosten Brasiliens wird eine 90MW-Anlage errichtet.
Die Umsätze auf internationaler Ebene erreichen einen Anteil von 51 % (Nettobetriebseinnahmen) der Gesamteinnahmen von WEG
Übernahme von Indústria de Tintas e Vernizes Paumar S.A., einem Unternehmen, das sich auf die Fertigung und den Vertrieb von Beschichtungsstoffen, Farb-, Schutz- und Harzlacken spezialisiert hat
2013
Eröffnung einer Niederlassung in Ecuador
Übernahme der Sparte Fertigung von Transformatoren und Umspannstationen von Hawker Siddeley Electric Africa (Pty) Ltd. in Südafrika, einem Hersteller von Miniatur-Umspannstationen und Verteilertransformatoren
2014
Übernahme der Antriebstechnik KATT Hessen GmbH, Hersteller spezieller Hochgeschwindigkeitsmotoren mit Hauptsitz in Homberg und einer Niederlassung in Dresden
2014
Übernahme der FTC Energy Group, ein Unternehmen, das Schalttafeln für die Prozessautomation herstellt und zusammenbaut und seinen Sitz in Bogotá, Kolumbien, hat
2014
Übernahme der Fertigungsanlage für Motoren und Getriebemotoren von der Württembergischen Elektromotoren GmbH mit Sitz in Deutschland
Übernahme der Fertigungsanlagen für Elektromotoren für Geräte, Changzhou Sinya Electromotor Co., und der Fertigungsanlage für Bauteile, Changzhou Machine Master Co., jeweils mit Sitz in China
Übernahme einer Dienstleistungseinheit von Efacec Energy Service in der Stadt Jaboatão dos Guararapes (brasil. Bundesstaat Pernambuco)
2015
Übernahme der Fertigungsanlage für Hochspannungstrafos, Miniatur-Umspannstationen, Leistungsschalter und zugehörige Dienstleistungen von TSS Transformers (Pty) Ltd. („TSS“), einem in Heidelberg (Gauteng), Südafrika, ansässigen Hersteller
Übernahme von Transformadores Suntec mit seinem Hauptgeschäftssitz in Medelin, Kolumbien
WEG wird von der Zeitschrift Exame zum Unternehmen des Jahres gewählt
WEG hat in elf Ländern Fertigungsanlagen und in 29 Ländern Geschäftsstellen Das Unternehmen hat mehr als 31.000 Mitarbeiter
Übernahme von Autrial S.L., einem Hersteller von Schalttafeln für Industrieanlagen und -anwendungen mit Hauptsitz in Valencia, Spanien
2016
WEG übernimmt Bluffton Motor Works, LCC., eine Elektromotorenfabrik in den USA.
WEG baut neue Produktionsstätte in Rugao, China.
2017
Erwerb des brasilianischen Turbinenherstellers TGM. Übernahme des US-Transformatorengeschäfts von CG Power.
2019
Einstieg in das Geschäft mit Lösungen für Industrie 4.0 mit der Errichtung einer speziellen Abteilung für digitale Angelegenheiten und dem Erwerb von 51% des Aktienkapitals von PPI-Multitask und V2COM.
2020
Erwerb von zwei Startups: BirminD, ein Technologieunternehmen, das auf dem Gebiet für künstliche Intelligenz in Verbindung mit Industrial Analytics tätig ist, und MVISIA, das an Visionen und Lösungen mit künstlicher Intelligenz für industrielle Anwendungen arbeitet.
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
2024
WEG übernimmt Volt Electric Motors, einen Hersteller von kommerziellen und industriellen Motoren in der Türkei. Außerdem übernimmt WEG Reivax S.A., ein brasilianisches Unternehmen, das im Bereich der Kontrollsysteme für die Energieerzeugung tätig ist.