The electric properties and service life of selenium rectifiers depend largely on the manufacturing process. At EWM, rectifiers are manufactured using state-of-the-art facilities – this ensures the highest degree of operating safety and a long service life.

The innovated protected rectifier was a basic idea of EWM – the rectifier could be used anywhere and was even resistant to sea air. This process was patented by EWM.

Angelika Szczesny-Kluge joins Elektrowerk Mündersbach GmbH and is responsible for payroll accounting. She also took on responsibility for all issues, from purchasing and marketing to sales, to support the family business.

Selenium semiconductor production ceases as Edmund Szczesny goes into retirement in 1974. Production of controlled line-commutated, thyristor-based silicon rectifiers for welding technology and electroplating begins in 1976.

The founder’s son, Michael Szczesny, assists with executive management. He now manages the company with his brother, Bernd.

Development of self-commutated secondary-cycled power converters based on transistors and related electronics for welding machines begins.

Susanne Szczesny-Oßing, daughter of Bernd Szczesny, begins training as an industrial manager in the company as part of her dual studies in business administration. She then goes on to study marketing communications alongside her work and qualifies as a communications specialist.

EWM takes on a customer’s challenge and builds the world’s largest rectifier arc thyristor power converter cabinet to date. It had 15 megawatts and 50,000 amperes and served as a DC supply for a steel melting oven.

Manufacture of thyristors and diodes begins. The business area is reinforced and develops to become the go-to component supplier for these products for reputable European welding machine manufacturers.

EWM launches the world’s first inverter for tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding machines with AC/DC technology onto the market.

Jan Szczesny starts his training as an industrial electrician at the family company, specialising in machine construction and working on prototype construction development. Since 2013, he’s been the development representative on the Executive Board.

The EWM-Huaheng joint venture in Kunshan, China is founded with Stefan Szczesny, the EWM founder’s grandson, in management.

Wiebke Szczesny-Bersch enters the finance department to mark the start of her professional career. She has held the position of finance director since the company became a stock corporation in 2013.

The introduction of the EWM coldArc® welding process is a milestone for the Mündersbach-based technology leader. The heat-reduced, low-spatter short arc offers high dimensional stability when welding and brazing, as well as excellent gap bridging capabilities when root welding.

EWM’s newly introduced MIG/MAG welding process, forceArc®, impresses with its short, heat-reduced, directionally stable and powerful arc with deep penetration for the upper power range. Weld efficiently and save costs, ideal for unalloyed, low-alloy and high-alloy steels and high tensile fine-grained steels.

The EWM activArc® welding process involves a dynamic TIG arc that allows the user to weld safely in all positions and with all plate thicknesses. activArc® uses a high concentration of energy and increasing pressure with an arc that becomes shorter, ensuring an even heat input and full weld pool control. Ideal for positional welding, fillet welds and root passes.

EWM celebrates 50 years of welding innovation! Innovation is considered to be the key to economic success: EWM acquires a global reputation as a hotbed of ideas and high-tech manufacturer with consistent research and development and a highly motivated workforce. The company develops into an internationally renowned technology leader, becoming not only the market leader in arc welding technology in 2007, but also growing into one of the largest employers in the region.

Opening the new sales and service centre in the northeast of England (Morpeth, Northumberland) represents EWM’s clear objective to become a major player in this market. In addition to servicing, the branch also offers consulting, training and sale of EWM welding and retail products.

The company rebrands: EWM reveals a new corporate design, new logo, modern image and new machine colours.

The alpha Q machine series is introduced to the market: modular, crane-liftable and stackable multiprocess MIG/MAG pulse welding machines with front control, and of course, the highest effectiveness. New technology is introduced with the modular forceTig machine series which, thanks to its patented TIG welding process, forceTig®, impresses with an extremely concentrated arc for more penetration and higher welding speeds.

EWM expands its headquarters in Mündersbach with Plant III. Additional office and conference space (830 m²) and extra warehouse space (970 m²) is added to a total area of 1,800 m².

Development and production of digitally networked welding systems in order to meet the modern manufacturing demands of Industry 4.0.

The new Austria site opens with a technology, service and training centre.

EWM AG invests in the future: Groundbreaking ceremony takes place for a new administration building and another production and logistics hall at its headquarters in Mündersbach.

The EWM Group expands with EWM Euen GmbH in Berlin, with a focus on automation and mechanisation.

Bernd Szczesny passes away suddenly. The Executive Board is reshuffled – Susanne Szczesny-Oßing takes over as President of the Executive Board and Angelika Szczesny-Kluge moves to the role of Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board.

The TIG XQ series is complemented by machines in higher power classes making welding from 230 A to 600 A possible. The customisable machines are available as DC or AC/DC variants. They are more digital, universal and personal and boast increased efficiency, durability, high duty cycles and a user-friendly design with lots of clever little details.