Newsroom
Factory Visit: WEG - Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil
At FactoryMation, we carefully evaluate manufacturers and their product lines when choosing a manufacturing partner. Once we partner with a manufacturer, regular site visits are made by our team to improve our supply chain, to discuss market needs and new product lines, and to tour the facilities to ensure high standards. Recently, we had the opportunity to once again visit the WEG manufacturing facilities in Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil. This most recent visit to WEG in Brazil was part of our continuous efforts to deliver great products backed by great service.
According to Russ Sanders, President of FactoryMation, a major part of visiting our manufacturers is “maintaining continuity of great relationships and to enhance communication. These face-to-face meetings allow us to meet the people behind the computer screens and form stronger relationships.” The goal when working with any partner is to figure out how we can improve our operations to become more efficient and eliminate choke points in the supply chain. While in Brazil, we worked to ensure our procedures are best matched to our market and that we can accurately forecast demand to reduce lead times. Timely delivery is a key aspect of our business, and our product team continuously works with all our manufacturers to improve our processes regarding packaging, handling, carriers, and everything in-between.
In addition to improving current operations, our team is always looking for future product lines to bring to our market. At WEG, this meant meeting with product managers, plant managers, and R&D teams. We reviewed future product road maps and offered feedback on what we see as current market needs. Over the years, WEG has invested heavily into research and development through efforts such as their Open Innovation Center in Jaraguá do Sul. The fruit of this investment is the development of truly innovative products. These innovations impressed our product team and are sure to be seen in upcoming WEG product launches.
Visiting our manufacturing partners also means getting to tour their facilities. The tour allows us to get a look at their inspection process from the inspection of incoming materials to the final inspection of finished products. This also gives us the opportunity to see advances they have made in product design, engineering, and production. WEG’s business model is focused on sustainable growth, and this growth is evident throughout their entire operation. Alongside the recently established Open Innovation Center, WEG’s manufacturing facilities in Jaraguá do Sul have grown to roughly 4 million square feet and nearly 13,000 employees. “We’ve visited multiple times over the course of our fifteen-year relationship,” Russ explains. “With each visit there are major improvements to the manufacturing processes be they capital investments or personnel. When touring the facility, the advancements don’t need to be pointed out; it’s just obvious.” They have made great strides in efficiency, automation, and innovation at their expanded facilities.
WEG’s mission focuses on fast but sustainable growth. They work every day to improve their products, development processes, and operations. These improvements come in the form of more efficient manufacturing processes, innovative products, energy and cost savings, and increased productivity to better fulfill the needs of customers. “WEG continues to focus on new product development, automated manufacturing, and industry-leading quality standards,” explains WEG’s Product Manager Bill Genaw. “In the past several years, there have been significant advancements in product innovation and [manufacturing ability]… It’s an exciting place to be.” For a complete list of WEG products offered by FactoryMation, please visit our website at www.factorymation.com/weg.