WAGO
Encyclopedia
WAGO Kontakttechnik GmbH & Co. KG is a German company that manufactures components for electrical connection
technology and electronic component
s for decentralized automation technology. The company is especially well-known for its cage clamp and push-wire connector products, particularly the 280 Series and the 273 Series (often referred to as "WAGO Clamps").
, a town in Germany’s state of North Rhine-Westphalia
. Founded in Minden as a family company in 1951, WAGO has been under the long-time guidance of Wolfgang Hohorst, Managing Director with sole power of representation for the WAGO Group. In 2004, the company was certified according to ISO 14001 in recognition of environmental management standards.
The company has approximately 4700 employees; of these, 2600 are employed in Germany at either the Minden or Sondershausen
/Thuringia
facility.
In addition to the central location in Minden, the WAGO Group has manufacturing plants in Sondershausen (Thuringia), Domdidier
(Switzerland
), Noida
(India
), Tianjin
([Peoples' Republic of China]), Wrocław (Poland
) and Germantown
(USA).
WAGO is subdivided into 35 WAGO companies and free commercial agencies worldwide. In 2010, it achieved worldwide consolidated sales of EUR 500 million.
At the time, the quality of available raw materials prevented the clamps from adhering to this principle while being manufactured properly. This led to the creation of the screwless clamp, known today as the spring clamp. Spring clamp technology has become recognized worldwide as an industrial standard for wire connection.
Due to its exemplary encouragement of trainees, the current Chair of the WAGO Foundation Wolfgang Hohorst was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit on November 8, 2006 by the Thuringian Minister-President Dieter Althaus
.
Electrical connection
An electrical connection between discrete points allows the flow of electrons . A pair of connections is needed for a circuit.Between points with a low voltage difference, direct current can be controlled by a switch...
technology and electronic component
Electronic component
An electronic component is a basic electronic element and may be available in a discrete form having two or more electrical terminals . These are intended to be connected together, usually by soldering to a printed circuit board, in order to create an electronic circuit with a particular function...
s for decentralized automation technology. The company is especially well-known for its cage clamp and push-wire connector products, particularly the 280 Series and the 273 Series (often referred to as "WAGO Clamps").
Company
WAGO is headquartered in MindenMinden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
, a town in Germany’s state of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. Founded in Minden as a family company in 1951, WAGO has been under the long-time guidance of Wolfgang Hohorst, Managing Director with sole power of representation for the WAGO Group. In 2004, the company was certified according to ISO 14001 in recognition of environmental management standards.
The company has approximately 4700 employees; of these, 2600 are employed in Germany at either the Minden or Sondershausen
Sondershausen
Sondershausen is a town in Thuringia, Germany, capital of the Kyffhäuserkreis district, situated about 50 km north of Erfurt. On 1 December 2007, the former municipality Schernberg was incorporated by Sondershausen....
/Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
facility.
In addition to the central location in Minden, the WAGO Group has manufacturing plants in Sondershausen (Thuringia), Domdidier
Domdidier
Domdidier is a municipality in the district of Broye, in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland.-Geography:Domdidier has an area, , of . Of this area, or 68.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 15.2% is forested...
(Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
), Noida
Noida
Noida , short for the New Okhla Industrial Development Area, is an area in India under the management of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority . Noida came into administrative existence on 17 April 1976 and celebrates 17 April as "Noida Day". It was set up as part of an urbanization...
(India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
([Peoples' Republic of China]), Wrocław (Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) and Germantown
Germantown, Wisconsin
Germantown is a village in Washington County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,260 at the 2000 census. The village surrounds the Town of Germantown...
(USA).
WAGO is subdivided into 35 WAGO companies and free commercial agencies worldwide. In 2010, it achieved worldwide consolidated sales of EUR 500 million.
History
WAGO was founded on April 27, 1951 by Friedrich Hohorst and Heinrich Nagel as WAGO Klemmenwerk GmbH. Before this came the purchase of the first patent for a spring clamp.At the time, the quality of available raw materials prevented the clamps from adhering to this principle while being manufactured properly. This led to the creation of the screwless clamp, known today as the spring clamp. Spring clamp technology has become recognized worldwide as an industrial standard for wire connection.
Organizational structure
WAGO consists of two business divisions: ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTIONS and AUTOMATION.WAGO Foundation
The WAGO Foundation recognizes the best achievements of trainees on the final examinations in both locations in Minden and Sondershausen, as well as in nearby towns and cities, by awarding them prizes.Due to its exemplary encouragement of trainees, the current Chair of the WAGO Foundation Wolfgang Hohorst was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit on November 8, 2006 by the Thuringian Minister-President Dieter Althaus
Dieter Althaus
Dieter Althaus is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union .Althaus was teaching Physics and Mathematics at the Polytechnic Secondary School in Geismar, Thuringia, from 1983 to 1989, where he became deputy headteacher in 1987.Since 1985 Althaus has been a member of the CDU, remaining...
.