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
Surge o primeiro parque de reflorestamento.
1973
Compra do terreno Parque Fabril II e início da construção da fábrica.
Exportação de motores chega a 20 países.
1975
Sai o motor 1 milhão.
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
Surge a WEG Química
1986
WEG recebe o primeiro prêmio: “Revista Exame - Melhores e Maiores”.
1988
Criação da WEG Automação
1989
Sr. Eggon João da Silva sai da presidência e passa o cargo para Décio da Silva. Os fundadores formam o Conselho de Administração.
Produzido o primeiro Trafo de 10 mil kVA, 138 kV, com 35 toneladas e 5,6m de altura. O maior produzido até em então em SC.
1991
Inauguração da Filial nos EUA.
1992
Inaugura uma das fundições mais modernas da América Latina em Guaramirim/SC.
Estabelecimento da WEG Europe, 1ª Filial Comercial no continente, na Bélgica.
1993
Distribuída a primeira participação nos lucros.
A WEG recebe pela primeira vez a certificação ISO 9001.
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
Aquisição das primeiras fábricas no exterior (Argentina e México).
2001
Faturamento do primeiro bilhão de reais em um só ano.
WEG recebe a certificação ISO 14001
2002
Aquisição de fábrica em Portugal.
Fornecimento do maior transformador WEG até então (200MVA, 550kV).
2003
Inauguração do Museu WEG.
Fabricação do maior gerador do mundo até então (50.000kVA, 13,8kV, 4 polos).
2005
Ouverture de la première usine de production en Chine.
2005
Ouverture d'une filiale à Singapour.
2005
Acquisition d'une usine de production au Manaus.
2006
100 000 000 de moteurs produits.
2007
Acquisition de Trafo, plus grand producteur de transformateurs électriques et de sous-stations conventionnelles et mobiles, avec des entités à Gravataí (État de Rio Grande do Sul) et Hortolândia (État de São Paulo).
2007
WEG rachète le fabricant de turbines hydrauliques Hidráulica Industrial S/A – HISA. Cette acquisition renforce la position de WEG dans le secteur de la production, transmission et distribution d’énergie.
2007
Société inscrite au Bovespa Novo Mercado, un segment de la bourse regroupant les sociétés qui adoptent des pratiques de gouvernance supplémentaires en complément de celles requises par la législation brésilienne.
2008
Décio da Silva prend la présidence du Conseil d'administration de WEG et Harry Schmelzer Jr. devient le PDG de WEG
Ouverture d'une filiale en Russie.
2009
Création d'une usine de production de transformateurs au Mexique (Huehuetoca)
2010
Lancement de activités de production de WEG en Inde.
2010
Acquisition de la société Instrutech, à São Paulo, une société brésilienne axée sur la production de produits et systèmes de sécurité commerciaux et industriels.
2010
Acquisition des parts de la société Voltran.
2010
Acquisition de Zest Electric, distributeur de WEG en Afrique du Sud.
2010
Acquisition de l'entreprise de revêtements Pulverlux en Argentine.
Acquisition du distributeur FOURNAIS A/S au Danemark.
2011
Acquisition de Watt Drive AntriebstechnikGmbH, une société autrichienne spécialisée dans le développement et la production de boites de vitesses, motoréducteurs, variateurs de fréquence et systèmes de transmission.
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
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
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 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 acquires Volt Electric Motors, a manufacturer of commercial and industrial motors in Turkey. Also, WEG acquires Reivax S.A. a Brazilian company operating in the sector of control systems for power generation.