SMT, PCB Electronics Industry News

Weller Tools Has Been Innovating Hand Soldering for 75 Years

Jul 07, 2020

A brochure from Weller dated April 1946. While the technologies have advanced since that time, the ideas of solving customer challenges and innovating the industry remain the same.

A brochure from Weller dated April 1946. While the technologies have advanced since that time, the ideas of solving customer challenges and innovating the industry remain the same.

An early soldering gun from Weller

An early soldering gun from Weller

Weller Tools announces that 2020 marks the company’s 75th anniversary. In 1945, the company invented hand soldering and has continued innovating, bringing the world into the next-generation of soldering with its latest technologies.

and soldering has been around for thousands of years; however, it wasn’t until 1941 that a trans­former-based in­stant heat­ing sol­der­ing method was de­vel­oped by an Amer­i­can radio re­pair­man who was tired of wait­ing for his sol­der­ing gun to heat up. Carl E. Weller had to wait until after WWII ended in 1945 to get his Weller Man­u­fac­tur­ing Com­pany running. In 1960, the Weller Man­u­fac­tur­ing Co. in the US patented the “Mag­na­s­tat” sol­der­ing iron that used a mag­netic com­po­nent to reg­u­late the tem­per­a­ture at the iron’s tip.

In an overseas ex­pan­sion in 1959, the Weller Elek­tro-Werkzeuge GmbH plant in Be­sigheim, Ger­many, along with new plants in other coun­tries, was or­ga­nized to man­u­fac­ture tem­per­a­ture-con­trolled irons and sol­der­ing guns for in­dus­trial mar­kets through­out Eu­rope and the Near East. Keep­ing pace with the in­creas­ing com­plex­ity of cus­tomers’ needs at that time, Weller Ger­many de­vel­op­ed and man­u­fac­tur­ed hand-sol­der­ing prod­ucts world­wide.

Over the years, Weller has con­tin­ued ex­ploring new prod­uct global fron­tiers, ex­pand­ing its reach to au­toma­tion and con­nec­tiv­ity, while enhancing functionality on old fa­vorites. Based on a deep understanding of cus­tomer needs, the company seg­mented its pro­fes­sional prod­ucts into per­for­mance, tech­nol­ogy and ef­fi­ciency lines to pro­vide op­ti­mal so­lu­tions for every cus­tomer level. “Keep­ing the user’s health and work­flow top-of-mind, we’ve in­te­grated fil­tra­tion, er­gonom­ics, trace­abil­ity and con­nec­tiv­ity with Weller’s sig­na­ture sol­der­ing pre­ci­sion and ef­fi­ciency,” added Philippe Buidin, VP, Weller Marketing.

The Weller brand represents high functionality and quality. Being part of an international group of companies enables Weller to consistently develop new, innovative tools for industry, trade and hobby. Close communication with customers also has proven to be a key factor in developing quality standards and designs. Since the beginning, Weller engineers have consistently listened to their customers and used those dialogues to develop products that meet market needs and solutions. This exchange of ideas also refers to the broader industry. Weller uses international symposia, open house events and workshops for direct communication for innovation and optimization of its products and services. By working together in a trusting, effective way, Weller has been constantly revolutionizing the market with new high-tech products since 1945.

Looking to the future, Weller understands that the dig­i­tal trans­for­ma­tion is in full swing. Mo­bile and cloud com­put­ing, the In­ter­net of Things, ar­ti­fi­cial in­tel­li­gence and ma­chine learn­ing are greatly im­pact­ing the work en­vi­ron­ment in ex­cit­ing new ways. As has been Weller’s custom for the past 75 years, the company is confidently and con­stantly mov­ing for­ward with new ideas and inventions.

“As we move into the next 75 years and beyond, Weller will continue using its knowledge and experience to meet customers‘ challenges. What began on a battlefield has grown into an innovative company leading the industry in soldering technology,“ concluded Buidin.


The Weller name stands for pioneering solutions in soldering technology. Founded in 1945, the company quickly grew to become the market leader in manual soldering technology. Weller's extensive range of products includes innovative solutions for industry and trade. The company's areas of expertise include conventional soldering technology such as extraction systems, precision tools and solutions involving screws, bolts and robots as well as many other benchtop products and services.

Weller Tools is part of the umbrella company Apex Tool Group, LLC. Apex Tool Group, LLC, headquartered in Sparks, Maryland, is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-performance hand and power tools, tool storage, drill chucks, chain and electrical soldering products for industrial, commercial and demanding do-it-yourself applications. ATG designs, manufactures, markets, and sells proprietary brands, including GEARWRENCH®, Crescent®, SATA®, Cleco®, Weller®, and APEX® and also designs and manufactures a number of private label tool brands for retailers. ATG sells its products through direct, retail, professional and trade channels to customers in over 115 countries, and serves a multitude of global markets, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, energy, hardware, industrial, and consumer retail. Learn more at www.apextoolgroup.com.

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