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Edward Lowton
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110 years in welding
02 October 2014
September 2014 marked the 110th anniversary of ESAB Welding & Cutting Products. Today, ESAB’s reach extends to almost every nation in the world, with more than 8700 employees, and manufacturing facilities across four continents.
ESAB’s history of innovation began in 1904 when Oscar Kjellberg, a welding pioneer, submitted a hand-written patent for the covered electrode. Kjellberg’s invention was more than the introduction of a new product; it represented the beginning of the modern era in welding. This invention also marked the beginning of Kjellberg’s company, Electriska Svesnings-Aktiebolaget (ESAB).
Early work saw the development of the TIG and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) processes and the invention of the friction-stir welding machine. Innovations continued throughout the twentieth century and the new millennium has already witnessed new standards of high speed Submerged Arc Welding and the next generation ICE process.
The 2014 acquisition of Victor Technologies, a manufacturer of cutting, gas control and welding solutions, has further expanded ESAB’s portfolio.
