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
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
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
Filiais na França, Espanha e Suécia.
1999
WEG alcança 79% de market share no Brasil em motores elétricos e exporta 29% de sua produção para cerca de 55 países.
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
Inauguração da primeira fábrica na China.
2005
Abertura de filial em Singapura.
2005
Compra da 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 assume a presidência do Conselho de Administração da WEG e Harry Schmelzer Jr. assume a presidência executiva da WEG
Abertura da filial da Rússia.
2009
Construção da fábrica de Transformadores no México (Huehuetoca)
2010
Início das operações fabris da WEG Índia.
2010
Aquisição da Instrutech, de São Paulo, empresa brasileira fabricante de produtos e sistemas de automação industrial e comercial e de segurança.
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
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
Anuncio de la construcción de una nueva fábrica en Santo Tirso, Portugal. La empresa tiene la intención de invertir 23,5 millones de euros para construir 22.600 m² en el mismo terreno donde WEG ya tiene una operación de 16.300 m² dedicada a la fabricación de motores industriales de baja tensión. Ampliará la producción de motores eléctricos de gran tamaño y transferirá su fábrica ubicada en Maia a Santo Tirso, centralizando todas las operaciones en el mismo lugar. Se espera que la nueva fábrica en Santo Tirso comience a operar en el primer trimestre de 2024 y genere alrededor de 100 nuevos empleos.
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
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.