THE MANUFACTURING INTERVIEW
THE ORIGINS OF WEG
WEG was founded in September 1961 in Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil. The company name is formed from the first initials of its three founders:
• Werner Ricardo Voigt, an electrician and visionary
• Eggon João da Silva, an administrator and business leader
• Geraldo Werninghaus, a mechanic and production expert.
From a small repair shop with an initial capital stock of just 3,600 Brazilian cruzeiro, worth around US $ 125 today, the trio laid the groundwork for what is now a global manufacturing giant.
Engineering at WEG is“ deeply connected to customers, manufacturing, suppliers and after-sales service throughout the entire product lifecycle,” Rodrigo says. He feels this allows the business to turn market needs into practical, reliable and efficient solutions. In 2025, the company invested more than US $ 275m in research and development. Just over half of its revenue came from products launched within the previous five years. Rodrigo says:“ This demonstrates that innovation is not an objective in itself – it is a driver of customer value, industrial competitiveness and sustainable growth.”
28 September 2026