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
Em abril de 1961 nasce a ideia de criar uma empresa para fabricar motores elétricos. No dia 16 de setembro, Werner Ricardo Voigt, Eggon João da Silva e Geraldo Werninghaus fundam a WEG. Capital Social inicial: Cr$ 3.600,00 (três mil e seiscentos cruzeiros).
1964
WEG compra o terreno e inicia a construção do Parque Fabril I. No mesmo ano, começa a fabricar no local.
1966
1ª Convenção Nacional de Vendas e Fundação da Associação Recreativa da WEG (ARWEG).
Criada a primeira CIPA.
1968
Criação do CENTROWEG. Na época, a região não oferecia treinamento técnico e os fundadores criaram o CENTROWEG para capacitar os colaboradores. A escola insere adolescentes no mundo da tecnologia, revelando e incentivando grandes talentos.
1970
Criada a política de qualidade WEG e produção do 1º motor conforme Normas ABNT e IEC. A preocupação com a qualidade está no DNA da WEG. Desde a fundação, a empresa preocupa-se em atender todas as normas exigidas.
1970
Início das exportações para a Guatemala, Uruguai, Paraguai Equador e Bolívia.
1971
Ações da WEG entram na Bolsa de Valores.
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.
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 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
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
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
Primeiro fornecimento em geração de energia eólica. Equipamentos com capacidade de 90 MW foram instalados em parque eólico localizado no Nordeste do Brasil.
Vendas no mercado externo alcançaram 51% (ROL) do faturamento da WEG.
Aquisição da Indústria de Tintas e Vernizes Paumar S.A., empresa especializada na fabricação e comercialização de tintas, vernizes, esmaltes e lacas.
2013
Criação da filial WEG no Equador.
Aquisição de fábrica de transformadores e subestações pertencentes à Hawker Siddeley Electric Africa, na África do Sul. Fabricante de mini-subestações e transformadores de distribuição.
2014
Aquisição da Antriebstechnik KATT Hessen GmbH, empresa que atua na fabricação de motores especiais de alta velocidade. Com sede em Homberg e filial em Dresden na Alemanha.
2014
Aquisição da FTC Energy Group, empresa que atua na fabricação e montagem de painéis elétricos para automação de processos com sede em Bogotá, na Colômbia.
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 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.