World's Largest Manufacturer of Fine Magnet Wire
In January 2014, MWS became a part of The Elektrisola Group – an international producer of fine and ultra-fine magnet wire. With a proud history of technical innovations to its credit, Elektrisola has manufacturing locations throughout the world, with 8 plants located in Europe (Germany, two in Italy, Switzerland), America (USA and Mexico) and Asia (Malaysia and China).
After having set the world’s record for the smallest fine wire, Dr. Gerd Schildbach founded Elektrisola in 1948 and opened the first factory in Germany in 1948. To accomplish his technology goals, he created his own custom manufacturing equipment and then implemented environmentally friendly catalytic painting furnaces to keep pollution to a minimum at Elektrisola facilities.
Still family owned, the sons of founder Dr. Gerd Schildbach carry on a tradition of continually investing equipment, plants and innovative solutions. Committed to reducing environmental impact and supporting family values, Elektrisola is the perfect partner for MWS to succeed in assisting its customers quest to create breakthrough products with innovative wire solutions.
Elektrisola's History
Foundation of Elektrisola in Germany
Elektrisola was founded on 1 July 1948 in Eckenhagen, Germany, by Dr. Gerd Schildbach. His father, Dr. Ing. Richard Schildbach, already had been in the wire industry. He produced fine resistance wires and held the world record in drawing the finest wire (0.008 mm) in 1938. Based on this wire drawing knowledge, Dr. Gerd Schildbach started to design and build his own fine wire enameling machines. This own developed process technology later became a major contributor for the rapid growth of the Elektrisola fine wire production worldwide.
Italy: The first factory outside Germany
Expanding to new markets resulted in establishing Elektrisola Atesina, located in the Alp mountains in the German-speaking part of Northern Italy, starting production in 1964.
First factory in EFTA economic area
Between 1957 and 1960, Europe had been divided into 2 different blocks, EWG (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg and The Netherlands), which became EU in 1993, and EFTA (Austria, Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland), with duties levied for trading between those blocks. In order to serve customers in the EFTA zone, Elektrisola Feindraht, Switzerland, was founded in 1968.
Wire drawing factory in Italy
For expansion of the Italian production a second plant 15 km away from the first one started production in 1973 to have better access to workers close by. This company is specialized in wire drawing.
First factory outside Europe
In the 1960’s, Elektrisola had exported fine wires successfully to the U.S.A. With business growing, a plant in Boscawen, New Hampshire, was opened in 1976, which became soon the biggest fine wire factory in North America.
First Sales & Factory in Asia
Sales to Asia became a new challenge in the 1980’s. Therefore a trading company, Elektrisola Hong Kong Ltd., was founded in Hong Kong in 1984. To support the fast growing Asian market with local production, Elektrisola (Malaysia) started operation in 1993 near Bentong, Malaysia.
Generation change in management
Dr. Gerd Schildbach passes the management of the Elektrisola Group on to his sons, Dr. Detlef and Dr. Oliver Schildbach
Sales office in Japan
With Japanese customers in Asia being major consumers of magnet wire, service at their headquarters in Japan was needed besides selling in Japan. Therefore Nippon Elektrisola was founded as a trading company in 1994 to serve the Japanese market and support Japanese based customers worldwide.
Expansion in North America with a factory in Mexico
Within North America in the late 1980’s industrial production started to move to the south of the U.S.A. and to Mexico. To supply these customers Elektrisola S.A. started operation in Cuauhtémoc, Mexico, in 1995.
Trading Company France
After the decease of the Elektrisola agent in France, Elektrisola France took over the business of the agent northwest of Paris in 1999 as distributor and agent to sell mainly magnet wire.
Trading Company Korea
In 1999 Elektrisola Korea was established as a trading company to support the Korean market customers
First factory in China
Within emerging markets, China became very important for the electronic industry. After importing enameled wires to China since 1982, Elektrisola Hangzhou was set up in 2005 to supply customers in China.
More Sales Offices in Asia
For improving the service in Asia, the Thailand Representative Office was founded in 2005, Elektrisola Indonesia in 2006 and Elektrisola India in 2008.
Innovation Timeline
| Year | Elektrisola's History of Innovation |
|---|---|
| 1966 | First in market with 10-kg-spool for 0.05 mm wire |
| 1969 | Starting ultrafine wire production 0.010 - 0.030 in Switzerland |
| 1970 | Introduction of environment-friendly catalytic enameling oven system |
| 1972 | First rod breaking machine in Germany |
| 1978 | Development of biconical spools for fine wires 0.04 - 0.10 mm |
| 1983 | Development of an enamelled brass wire with most narrow resistance tolerance for injection valves |
| 1987 | Polyurethane enameled wire, class 155 introduced |
| 1987 | Ford Q1 certification |
| 1989 | Introduction of computer controlled enameling machines with In-line Process Control |
| 1990 | Precise Metering of lubrication introduced, to improve windability at high winding speeds and assure low outgasing |
| 1992 | Introduction of EAPC (Elektrisola Active Process Control). Based on computer controlled machine sensors monitoring all important process parameters, what assures wire quality on-line |
| 1993 | Introduction of permanent in-line laser measurement of OD on single enameling lines in production what assures tight tolerances |
| 1993 | Worldwide first Polyurethane enameled wire, class 180 introduced |
| 1994 | First ISO 9002 certification |
| 1995 | Increasing spool weight for fine wires like 0.063 mm to 27 kg |
| 1996 | Studies with University of Vienna for outgasing behaviour for relays leading to introduction of lubrication-free wires (G-types) |
| 1997 | First QS 9000 certification |
| 1997 | Acquisition of ultrafine wire production from Huber & Suhner and Polydraht, Switzerland |
| 2002 | Taped litz wire production started |
| 2003 | First TS 16949 certification |
| 2003 | Square litz wire introduced |
| 2003 | Increasing spool weight for 0.045 mm to 20 kg |
| 2005 | Customer demand for high quality heavy wire lead to development and introduction of new heavy wire enameling machines |
| 2006 | Introduction of new test certificate levels with in-line SPC data |
| 2006 | Development of Fully Insulated Wire (FIW), start of IEC-standardization process |
| 2007 | Successful to enamel 5.8 µm wire |
| 2008 | Production of heavier litz wires up to 11 mm |