Elektrowerk Mündersbach was founded in 1957 by Edmund Szczesny. The company started off by developing and producing electronic components.

The company begins developing and producing selenium rectifiers for welding technology, electroplating and charging technology, and obtains a patent for its “protected rectifiers” (e.g. for welding machines used in shipyards).

Both Szczesny brothers completed training to become heavy-current electricians in their father’s company in the 60s. Bernd Szczesny began his training in 1960 with Michael Szczesny starting in 1968. Both then went on to study electrical engineering.

Bernd Szczesny, the son of the founder, takes control of the company.

Electronics production begins and development/sales of digital components for fitting industrial controls starts (predecessor for today’s programmable logic controller PLC). Production of silicon rectifiers as a replacement for selenium rectifiers begins.

The EWM digital system was developed specially for the fitting of industrial controls. The DS components boast higher interference resistance, easier installation and replacement, enormous flexibility and high cost efficiency.

At the start of the 80s, EWM asserts itself as a semiconductor producer for electroplating and battery-charging technology. It also supplied the related electronics.

In-house silicon semiconductor manufacture begins with diffusion and chip production.

Computer-controlled wafer-sawing for manufacturing chips for power semiconductors

State-of-the-art diffusion oven in semiconductor manufacture

Stefan Szczesny, the son of Bernd Szczesny, joins the company.

Michael Bersch starts as an assistant to the management in 1987, focussing on finance as he does today.

Microprocessor technology in welding machine customers’ control systems

The first EWM in-house range of welding machines is presented at the “Schweißen und Schneiden” trade fair.

Trade fair booth at the “Schweißen und Schneiden” trade fair

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.

The production and sales site at Kunshan in the province of Jiansu in east China exclusively manufactures components and machines for the Asian market, under German production and quality standards. In 2009, the Chinese branch is licensed by the German Association for Welding (DVS) as a training centre for educating expert welding technicians under uniform quality standards.

EWM’s own MIG/MAG MT welding torch series is introduced to the market. As the gas- and water-cooled MT welding torches are harmonised with all other EWM components, the full performance capability of the power sources goes into the welding process. The MT series contains standard and function torches as well as function torches with X technology.

The company changes legal form: EWM HIGHTEC WELDING GmbH becomes a 100% family-owned stock corporation.

Production starts on the EWM tigSpeed system for increased productivity and perfect results, even with positional welding. tigSpeed is a further development of the TIG cold and hot wire welding processes. Continuous wire feeding is superimposed by a forward/backward wire motion. This offers an extremely stable welding process with a high deposition rate.

EWM’s MULTIMATRIX® technology is introduced to the market, marking another technological milestone for EWM in a new dimension of welding. MULTIMATRIX® is the solution for all welding tasks and has the guiding motto “Perfection is the principle”. MULTIMATRIX® technology makes it possible to adapt to all new developments or welding tasks quickly through data exchange via a USB flash drive or LAN/WiFi network.

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.