Weg invests to double the size of Portugal manufacturing site

Weg is undergoing a substantial project to expand the size and capabilities of its production facility in Europe. Further to the facility built in 2017, a new investment will see the company double the size of the manufacturing site in Portugal.

At the same time, it will hire 100 new employees and create what it claims will be Europe’s most complete testing laboratory for medium voltage (MV) and high voltage (HV) motion drives (electric motors and drives).

Weg Portugal has been the heart of the company’s European production of electric motors and MV/HV drives since its inception 20 years ago. Currently split across two sites in Maia and Santo Tirso in Portugal, the facilities manufacture over 10,000 motors annually, deliver to over 50 countries on five continents and employ over 750 people.

Now, Weg is constructing an additional 22,680 sqm factory at the Santo Tirso site to support the manufacture of MV/HV motors and drives, LV electrical panels and the provision of the corresponding servicing activities on shop floor as well as on site. The project will see the transfer of the Maia factory to the new plant in Santo Tirso, centralising all operations to a single site.

The investment will also increase production capacity to IEC 1400 frame size electric motors and equivalent MV/HV drives. This is in addition to specialist flameproof, smoke extraction and marine motors, engineered automation solutions, as well as the range of Weg digital and automation tools such as Motion Fleet Management (MFM).

“Weg has long believed in the importance of manufacturing products local to the market where they will be sold,” explained António Duarte, managing director of Weg Portugal. “The new investment will significantly improve the site’s manufacturing capabilities, our flexibility and time-to-market, and reinforces our continued commitment to the European market.”

The construction of the second factory in Santo Tirso is currently underway and is expected to be fully operational by 2024. The transfer will be initiated during 2023 and will be gradual, ensuring no impact on production or deliveries.