Where we've come from

Born from the curious mind of Wilf Nuttall a sheet metal worker and welder who came across the newly developed Eutectic Low Temperature welding process in 1944.

The budding entrepreneur set the wheels in motion for Weldwell to become the first and only New Zealand manufacturer of arc welding electrodes.

Today our Napier factory produces many tonnes of arc welding electrodes each year; fuelling welders in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. In addition to our renown electrode range we represent some of the best brands in the business, providing welding equipment and consumables to New Zealand welders.

Our History

2000

Member of the ITW Group

In May 2000, Weldwell New Zealand became an ITW (Illinois Tool Works) welding company, joining with the premier international welding brands – Miller, Hobart, Bernard and WIA.

1986

Only NZ Producer

Weldwell became the only New Zealand producer of arc welding electrodes for New Zealand and internationally.

1967

Electrode Factory

Weldwell established the Napier electrode factory and production began.

1952

Philips Partnership

By 1952 business continued to boom and Weldwell began a partnership with Philips, leading to the range of iron powder-coated electrodes.

1946

Weldwell NZ Established

Determined to bring the new technology to New Zealand, Wilf used his Kiwi ingenuity to secure a one-year trial from the American inventors. After a year of testing, persuading sceptical workshop managers and convincing the Trade and Industry department that this was the way of the future the Weldwell electrode business was established.

1944

The beginning of the Weldwell NZ story.

While serving with RNZF as a sheet metal worker and welder, founder Wilf Nuttall came across a newly developed Eutectic Low Temperature welding process while reading an article in the Welding Encyclopedia.

© 2024 Weldwell New Zealand. All rights reserved. A dvision of ITW