Solderjoint_No2_Magazin - Flipbook - Page 8
A spirited conversation: Three Weller Originals
meet the #FutureOriginals – exchanging
ideas with today’s marketing and product
management team.
At Weller, progress has always been a team effort, shaped by
visionaries who built the foundation, and the new generations
who have carried them forward. In this exclusive conversation,
three Weller pioneers – Werner Grupp, Günter Rittmann, and
Fritz Schmid – share stories of courage, craftsmanship, and
collaboration that continue to define what “Powerful Together”
means today.
Weller has always been known for its pioneering spirit. What was it that made Weller stand out in those
early years in Europe?
Werner Grupp: When Carl E. Weller brought his invention from the U.S. to Europe, we truly started from
scratch. Everything was different – the voltages, the
standards, even the expectations. In the beginning,
we had to improvise, sometimes rebuilding plugs by
hand just to make them fit local systems. What made
Weller unique was determination. Every obstacle became a lesson, every setback an improvement. And
customers – especially in Switzerland and later in
France and Italy – recognized and valued that commitment to precision and quality.
You joined Weller in the early 1970s. What was your
biggest technical challenge – and what drove innovation back then?
Günter Rittmann: The biggest challenge was keeping
up with the constant demand for better control,
safety, and performance. We were engineers, but also
inventors at heart. Our strong relationships with our
end customers enabled us to gather valuable information on how to optimise our current products and
develop future ones, resulting in the best ideas. What
always drove us was the belief that technology should
make work easier and safer – not more complicated.
That mindset is still what defines Weller today.
You built Weller’s international sales network for
hand tools. How did you manage to establish trust
and growth across so many markets?
Fritz Schmid: It was all about relationships. We didn’t
just sell products, we built partnerships. Whether in
Switzerland, France or the Scandinavian Market, we
always listened first. Some customers were demanding, some very critical – but that’s how we learned.
Our success came from connecting with people who
shared our standards for craftsmanship and reliability. That spirit of cooperation still lives on in Weller’s
global community today.
