WEG Industries

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WEG (Bovespa: [1]) is the largest Latin American electric motors manufacturer and is present in over 100 countries in the five continents. Additionally, the company counts on state-of-the-art manufacturing processes associated with the most demanding total quality programs. Mostly important, the company today has the same asset philosophy as in 1961, which is based on work and discipline, multiplied by each of its employees committed to ultimate customer satisfaction.

History

The road to success of Werner Ricardo Voigt, Eggon João da Silva and Geraldo Werninghaus started on the 16th of September 1961, when the three founded "Eletromotores Jaraguá". Years later, the company created by an electrician, an administrator and a mechanic would change its name to "Eletromotores WEG SA". The name is the effective junction of the three founders' initials.

The company's path along these years is marked by success. The largest Latin American producer of electric motors, and one of the largest in the world, WEG is present in the areas of command and protection, speed variation, industrial process automation, energy generation and distribution as well as industrial paints and varnishes. Totally Brazilian, counting on more than 14 thousand employees all over the world, WEG reached an annual turnover of R$ 2.978 billion in 2005, a growth of 14% in relation to 2004, R$ 2,608 billion. Exports were responsible for almost 40% of the company's turnover. Production is concentrated in seven manufacturing plants in Brazil (in th cities of São Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, Guarulhos, Manaus, Guaramirim, Blumenau and two plants in Jaraguá do Sul, two in Argentina, one in Mexico [2], one in Portugal and one in China. WEG also exports to over 100 countries and counts on branches and technical assistance in all five continents.

Initially producing electric motors, WEG started incrementing its activities during the eighties, with the production of electric components, products for industrial automation, power and distribution transformers, liquid and powder paints and electrical insulatins varnishes. More and more the company is consolidating itself not only as a motor manufacturer, but also as a complete, industrial, electrical systems supplier.

In 1989 the three founders created the company's Board of Directors and Décio da Silva was chosen as WEG's CEO. Two years later WEG's Quality and Productivity Program was implemented, consolidating the process of participative administration.

A good part of these great results influence life in the city of Jaraguá do Sul directly. One of the most visible forms of this is the distribution of profits to the employees. Besides the injection of capital that the profit distribution provokes in all the sectors of the economy, WEG also participates directly in the increase in quality of life of the city. A great part of this success is due to participative administration, a concept applied from the factory floor up. The Circles of Quality Control (CCQ), implemented in 1982, are already part of the company culture. Through these groups, each employee is able to present suggestions on job safety, health and quality of life. Many suggestions result in new production processes and even in new machines, generating more savings and productivity.

Another highlight is WEG's training department, which invests in courses, both internal and external, for the workers.

Created in 1968 to aid in the lack of qualified professionals in the area of mechanical engineers, "Centroweg" grew and diversified its activities along with WEG. Today, it gives technical courses in the areas of mechanical, electronics, electricity, robotics and chemistry (for high school students) and mechanical engineers for adults.

Company website: [[3]]

The WEG name and logo are Copyright © 2002 WEG Indústrias - All rights reserved.