Schneider Electric has formed a partnership with the Brazilian motor-maker WEG to supply drives packages combining Schneider`s drives, circuit-breakers, contactors and transformers, with WEG`s motors in the range 0.12-1,500kW.

Schneider says that the Altium initiative, which it unveiled at the recent Elec trade show in Paris, will allow it to guarantee the performance of the complete motor and VSD or starter package.

Meanwhile, WEG has revealed more details about its plans for the Portuguese motor plant that it has bought from EFACEC Universal Motors. The acquisition, WEG`s fourth outside Brazil, will cut lead times for some European orders and could help to boost WEG`s share of the European market which currently represents 24% of its global business.

The 11,545m² plant, with a workforce of more than 150, will build low-voltage, Atex-compliant, explosion-proof motors, and TEFC (totally enclosed fan-cooled) motors, in standard and special configurations in frame sizes from 225S/M (37/50kW) to 800 (10MW, 15kV).