Weldy HG: a Bright Future

Leister Insight7 May 2020

Weldy, the product line created by Leister to combine ease of use with high performance and convenience, continues to be very successful.

Author: Alberto Pecchio, Marketing Specialist, Leister Italy

The range is being expanded with even more high-performance solutions, combining high Swiss quality standards with convenience. Enrico Corbetta, a sales engineer with decades of experience in the field of professional tools, has been working on Leister's Handtools line for a year now.

After a year in close contact with the Weldy range, what can you tell us about the welcome given by the market to this line?

A wide range of users have shown that they appreciate the Weldy range very much; they are products characterized by excellent performance at a very interesting price. This is thanks to the design in our laboratories in Switzerland combined with the relocation of production to China at Leister Technologies Ltd's factories in Shanghai, in compliance with Leister's strict quality standards. After the success of the powerful and robust Energy models, designed to ensure a high durability even in case of more intensive use, we now offer the public the new HG series heaters, which replace and expand the historical range of pic, pro and plus handtools.

Which features distinguish this new line?

The new HG 330 and HG 530 solutions immediately stand out for their innovative design: the ergonomic, pistol shape and the soft touch handle allow a better grip and facilitate the use. But the aesthetic appearance is not the only new element: the entire production process has been optimized.

This, together with a choice of innovative materials, the result of long research, has led to the creation of a line with a lower price compared to the solutions previously available on the market, with further improved performance and a lifetime more than 50% longer than previous models.
The HG range also stands out for the attention that the designers have paid to the environment: the ecomode function on some Weldy models intervenes automatically by putting the tool in «standby» mode when the heat is not necessary, with consequent energy saving.

How many models does the HG series consist of?

The series includes two distinct categories of tools, the HG 330 serie, designed for applications with low intensity of use, and the HG 530 series, more suitable for a predominantly semi-professional context or for those who intend to use it frequently and intensively. The HG 330 range includes three models: HG 330-B, adjustable with two position button, HG 330-S, with potentiometer, and HG 330-A, with digital display, while the HG 530 range includes the HG 530-S model (with potentiometer) and HG 530-A model (with digital display). Solutions for all needs and spending possibilities, therefore, to meet the needs of a large number of customers.

Which are the sectors where the Weldy range is most frequently used?

The automotive aftermarket is one of the most interesting markets for the Weldy range, which, thanks to its versatility, can be used in all segments of this important sector: from body shops, which use Weldy solutions for various aspects of the business, from car wrapping to paint stripping, from removing glues and resins to repairing plastic parts such as bumpers, to mechanics and tyre repairers, who use hot air to bring back to reason particularly recalcitrant nuts and bolts. In this case the advantage, from the safety point of view, of using hot air as a heat source compared to the open flame is evident. The success of Weldy products is such that it has led to the study of agreements with important manufacturers of tools for the automotive aftermarket, aimed at the production of private label heat guns: the choice to rely on Leister's experience for these items is easily understandable.

During this period, many people spend more time at home than expected, also dedicating themselves to DIY: is the Weldy range taken for these uses?

Surely the HG 330 solutions can also be suitable for those who have recently discovered bricoleur: the low cost is combined with ease of use, reliability and adjustability that allows even those who work with delicate objects to operate safely. All products in the HG range have a reduced weight compared to other instruments with similar performance, which makes them practical to carry. They are also easy to use, precise and easy to handle, allowing a remarkable speed of processing.

More time spent at home but less travel: is it easy to get these tools?

The distribution of the Weldy line is widespread and many shops are able to supply customers even in this complex period. Dealers and activities with an intensive use of hot air guns can address directly to our sales offices, where it is possible to arrange deliveries against reasonable minimum order quantities (8 pieces) for the HG and Energy lines; to facilitate the resale activity we have also created POS supports such as a practical cardboard display, aimed at underlining the availability of Weldy products and attracting customers' attention.

The Weldy range is not limited to handheld devices: how does the market react to the other solutions of this line?

The welcome given to the solutions we have chosen to market in Italy is giving us satisfaction: in particular, the sales of our booster ex2 and ex3 extruders, ideal for the welding of sheets and pipes in plastic materials, and of the miniwelder geo2 and miniwelder roof2 wedge welding machines, very appreciated by operators working in the field of waterproofing for the construction and repair of tanks and basins, are continuing at a good pace.