The leading manufacturer of welders in Europe

[TechnicAl]

Matt is spot on.
Oil in the middle east and even here in the north sea was dominated by American Companies. McDermotts, Aramco, Santa Fe etc etc. They just brought their stuff with them.
Up in Nigg Bay Lincoln had a warehouse that simply stocked and supplied the stuff to these companies. Innershield, Fleetwelds, DC400s etc etc.That one office sold millions of pounds worth of stuff.

 

[eSCHEn]

In a similar vein to Rehm, I see EWM mentioned in a positive light frequently but don't see them about often. Is that because they're a more industrial machine or that their market is in Germany mainly?

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Leading in what way tom? As in biggest market share? Best quality machines? Biggest growth? When a company claims to be the leader in an industry I'm always sceptical as to how they believe they lead. If they claim to be the market leader then they are claiming biggest market share. Again is it market leader throughout the whole product portfolio because as we know some company's (like esab) offer consumables PPE and gas equipment etc some (like lorch) only specialise in arc equipment. It's not an easy question to answer without specifics.

I suppose in all aspects really, who's got the biggest market share? who makes the best machines? Seems as though they've been answered though

@matt1978 & @TechnicAl - Thanks for the in depth information, love it when those who know there stuff deliver Top lads

@eSCHEn EWM I believe are quite big in the southern parts of the UK, ship yards etc.. thats just what I've heard though.

 

[eSCHEn]

@eSCHEn EWM I believe are quite big in the southern parts of the UK, ship yards etc.. thats just what I've heard though.

If so then that'll be why I haven't seen them - been a couple of decades since I was further south than Coventry.

 

[matt1978]

Its all about market penetration. EWM and Lorch have been in the UK for a similar time around 10-12 years. We both have similar business models and rely on Distributors as our main route to market and unfortunately we are only as good as our distributors as regards coverage. Fronius has been in the UK in one way or another for close on 30 years. ESAB and Lincoln your looking at probably 50 years.

When I was at Fronius, I was amazed at how many places I would arrive at to do a demo and hardly anyone on the shop floor had ever heard of them, it got called Frontius, Gronius, Fronus.

Social media and you tube etc are all helping with product awareness now, where as before it was all word of mouth and you used what was recommended to you by the old school welders, which for a long time was Murex, Butters, Oxford etc

Can you imagine arriving at a factory to do a demonstration, using the very latest in technology, new welding processes and unbelievably good arc characteristics and the guy looks at your machine (Lorch or Fronius it doesn't matter) has a few hashed attempts at pronouncing the name then gives up. Says yeah well its all well and good but I've never heard of them and I doubt it will weld good as that! (Pointing to a 25 year old Murex Transformer machine with a non original sovereign wire feeder perched on the top) Then you look at his welding and its full of spatter as he is in the mixed arc mode without him even knowing/caring if I had a quid for everytime people like that have had to pick their chin up off the floor once you have done the first few inches of welding I wouldn't need to be selling welding machines anymore

 

[eSCHEn]

Yeah I believe my local EWM is actually head office a hundred miles away. The Glasgow dealer doesn't appear to do EWM any more.

Actually it looks like all of Scotland is served by Morpeth.

Edit: there's no diaeresis or umlaut so I would think FRO - NEE - US ?

 

[matt1978]

Badgerbear. You mean.

Yeah I believe my local EWM is actually head office a hundred miles away. The Glasgow dealer doesn't appear to do EWM any more.

Actually it looks like all of Scotland is served by Morpeth.

Edit: there's no diaeresis or umlaut so I would think FRO - NEE - US ?

Yes Fro-Nee-Us is correct.

I was lucky enough to have met Gunter Fronius once or twice, who was the man who started it all in his shed, making a battery charger shortly after the 2nd world war and also his Son, Klaus who drove the company to be the global powerhouse that it is now, quite a few times. Even though I no longer work with their product and he is no longer directly involved within the day to day business of Fronius as he is retired he still comes and says Hello and shakes my hand if we happen to see each other during the Schweissen and Schneiden exhibition. Very nice man and hugely respected within the Industry.

 

[eSCHEn]

Their portfolio is pretty impressive. I see a lot of technologies for the solar energy market under the Fronius name. Probably best I don't get one or I'd try and plug a torch into it.

 

[LincolnTIG88]

In a similar vein to Rehm, I see EWM mentioned in a positive light frequently but don't see them about often. Is that because they're a more industrial machine or that their market is in Germany mainly?

Have heaps of EWM here in ireland..have seen them 10 years plus without a service like batted oil cans have never seen one for sale second hand so has to be a good sign

 

[Richard.]

They do crop up used here from time to time but not as common as Kemppi, Lincoln etc.