2022 has lots to be remembered for, challenges and triumphs. But for electric heating element manufacturer Watlow, it’s been highly significant year in the company’s journey to date. Here Johann Lainer, Marketing Communications Manager Europe at Watlow, reflects on the company’s achievements in 2022.
100 years in the making
Halfway through 2022 marked Watlow’s 100 year-anniversary. The company, which was founded in 1922 in Missouri, USA, is now a global electric heating specialist with over 1,000 patents and 4,200 employees working across locations in North America, Asia and Europe.
Watlow began manufacturing electric heating elements for the shoe industry, before widening its product offering in the 1930s to introduce electric immersion heaters to replace steam pipes and fire-hazardous gas. Then, in the 1980s, Watlow expanded its global reach with the opening of sales offices in Italy, France, the UK and Taiwan.
Since its founding in 1922, the company has developed into a highly regarded industrial heating technology manufacturer, holding more than 1,000 patents and employing over 4,000 people working in nine manufacturing facilities and five technology centres across three continents. Additionally, Watlow gains sales coverage in 178 countries and, most recently, opened a facility in Cebu, Philippines in October 2022 to support local customers focusing on energy and environmental technologies.
Eurotherm acquisition
In June 2022, Watlow announced it had signed an agreement to acquire Eurotherm® from Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation.
Eurotherm is a premier global provider of temperature, power and process control, measurement and data management equipment, systems, software and services for global industrial markets. The company’s headquarters are in Worthing, UK, with core manufacturing operations in Lędziny, Poland, and a headcount of about 650 people worldwide.
The acquisition completed in November 2022, with Watlow’s CEO, Rob Gilmore saying, “We are excited about Watlow and Eurotherm and all we will accomplish together. This acquisition aligns with our vision of providing innovative thermal products and technologies that help increase our customers’ competitive advantage. The combination of Watlow and Eurotherm products and technologies will create new global opportunities for our collective customers and allow us to focus our advanced thermal systems in important areas.”
On reflection, 2022 was promising for Watlow, which continues to make waves in the industry demonstrating why electric heating technology is key in reducing emissions. Here’s to 2023!