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Avesta Jernverk began producing stainless steel in 1924, and it was not long before the first welding trials were carried out on this new family of steels.
Filler materials were soon in demand and engineer Ferdinand Smacke began producing drawn welding wire in Avesta as early as 1926.
The manufacture of covered electrodes began in 1933 and before long, the products had established a reputation for quality world-wide. |
Up until the end of the 1940's, covered electrodes were manufactured using methods similar to those used when making stearine candles: the coating was applied by immersing the core wire into the flux. This was then replaced by a process of extrusion. This stage involves applying pressure by means of an extrusion press to affix the coating to the core wire. This method still prevails.
The company has focused its attention on filler materials and welding methods for stainless and high-alloy steels since its inception in the 1920's. Research and development activities have always been of central importance to Avesta's manufacture of welding consumables. At the end of the 1960's, the company was the first in the world to offer AC/DC electrodes (rutile-acid stainless electrodes), which, thanks to their extremely good weldability, helped revolutionise stainless steel welding methods.
An important landmark in the history of the company was set in 1986, when the former division for welding consumables was incorporated as an independent wholly-owned subsidiary company of what was then Avesta AB. As Avesta Welding AB, the company has been able to develop a clearer profile and identity as a producer of welding consumables. The advances made since then, in terms of both quality and financial performance, prove that the decision taken was the right one, and in the process, Avesta Welding has been able to consolidate its market position.
Investments in Sweden's first production facility for Flux-Cored Wire (FCW), a new drawing mill and a series of other investments has enabled the company to consolidate its position further.
Avesta Welding has combined modern technology with tradition to ensure that the company is well-equipped to seek new welding challenges well into the future.