Weidmuller celebrates the big 4-0

Weidmuller Australia celebrated its 40th anniversary with an Australiana-themed luncheon party, complete with hand-picked local food and a bush band, at its headquarters in Emu Plains on Thursday 20 September. Surrounded by hay bales and myriad photos marking the history of the company, Andrew Finch, Managing Director, Weidmuller Australia, welcomed all the guests and the company’s 60 employees to the anniversary lunch. The event was all about getting connected, so Finch urged the crowd: “Let’s connect.”

“People are very important to this company,” he said. With a large number of employees being with the company for 20, 25 and some over 30 years, the company was described as “one big family”. Finch commented that it is obvious that employees like working for the company.

Third-generation German founder Christian Glasel, who is Chairman of the Weidmuller Supervisory Board and representative of the Glasel family, was in Australia for the first time. Setting up globally with Weidmuller Australia and its Klippon Electrical brand back in the ‘70s was a huge step for the German-based family business. To have a global presence in a remote country such as Australia was difficult but significant. Weidmuller is one of the few German companies still remaining today. Glasel said the reason for the company’s success is its unique range of products which are custom-made for the market.

Trevor Hitchcock, Founding Managing Director, Weidmuller Australia, likened the beginnings of the organisation to the Australia’s convict history. He started the company back in September 1972 after he travelled from England and arrived at Botany Bay on a rainy day in April. Working with two generations of the Glasel family, including Christian’s father, he shared some amusing stories from his 29-year history with the company. He commented that one of the main reasons for originally choosing the Emu Plains site was related to the then-government’s promise of the M4 freeway being completed within five years.

The luncheon included a charity auction, with all proceeds going to Westmead Children’s Hospital.

With new technology rolling out across the Asia-Pacific, the area is experiencing growth with three new local representative offices opening and a presence now in Japan, India, Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, including an R&D centre in Singapore. With 40 years of experience, Weidmuller Australia says it is proud to be an outstanding part of industrial connectivity in Australia and now the whole of the Asia-Pacific region.