WEG was founded in 1961 in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, by Werner Ricardo Voigt, Eggon João da Silva and Geraldo Werninghaus. Today, it is a global reference in industrial solutions, specialising in the manufacture of electric motors. The investment in Portugal was a strategic decision for the company's expansion. It led to continuous growth, culminating in a new investment in the country 20 years later.
The three founders combined technical knowledge and strong management skills to create WEG. The quality of its products enabled rapid expansion, leading to exports to several Lat[1]in American countries in the 1970s. In the 1980s, they significantly increased international sales and diversified their portfolio by establishing business units in Industrial Automation, Power Transmission & Distribution, Energy, and Coatings.
In the 1990s, they took an important step in global expansion by opening the first sales offices outside Brazil and acquiring the first international factories. In the 2010s, they entered the Industry 4.0 market and expand[1]ed into new areas, including wind and solar energy. Recent years have been marked by significant strategic expansion, with the acquisition of 15 factories across five continents, consolidating WEG as a major global player in electric motors and generators
