SMART AUTOMATION AT THE HEART OF THE METAL INDUSTRY

The Wiesenfeld family has been at the forefront of mechanical engineering for three generations. Grandfather David Wiesenfeld founded Videx in 1973 after completing military service and working in the defense sector. His son, Yair Wiesenfeld, took up his father's legacy and serves as the company CEO. Grandson Ido Wiesenfeld joined the family business with an engineering degree from Ben-Gurion University, and experience in high-tech companiesand serves as VP of Engineering. Granddaughter Omer (Wiesenfeld) Paz, holds a master's degree from Tel Aviv University and serves as CFO and VP of Business Development.

"As long ago as the 1970's, my father recognized the need to produce Israeli-made machines," says Yair. "Until then, screw-production machinery was imported from Italy. With foreign currency hard to come by at the time, local production became essential. My father said, 'I can make this better than the Italians anyway!' So, in a small garage, he began designing and building our first machines."

"We're a rare example of an Israeli family company that's maintained a global market presence for over 50 years, not through hi-tech hype, but through engineering excellence, uncompromising reliability, long-term vision, and sharp Israeli minds" says Ido. "Videx combines exceptional continuity of knowledge, hands-on experience and deep expertise in the global metal and steel industry."

Technological Investment Pays Off
Videx machines are engineered to produce components from metal coils and rods. Today, over 750 such machines operate on industrial production lines in more than 50 countries, among them the US, India, Japan, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Brazil. Despite being entirely Israeli-made, the company has a limited presence in Israel itself, with exports accounting for 99 percent of its production.

"Over the years, we've earned a solid international reputation, especially among large manufacturers seeking reliable, long-term solutions tailored to their needs," says Yair. "When clients don't want generic, off-the-shelf machines, they know whom to call."

What Makes You Unique?
"It's our engineering approach that makes Videx truly unique," says Ido. "We have about 50 base machine models of different types, each of which is customized to meet the specific requirements of the customer, from raw material type to production speed, from automation level to floor space. The machines are predominantly mechanical, which allows them to operate reliably for decades."

"Videx is essentially a boutique manufacturer," adds Yair. "Each client has unique requirements for specialized parts. Because our machines are built like Lego, we can combine different models, integrate automation and deliver the exact production line the customer needs. Our machines are also renowned for their reliability. Some are nearly 50 years old and still operating at full capacity."

Added Value for the Customer
"A Texas company ordered a production line comprising 11 machines," recounts Ido. "They replaced the work of 30 employees through automated processes, all overseen by a single operator. The machines were shipped disassembled in containers with all live components. The customer assembled them, and within a single day the line was fully operational, producing automatically from raw material to finished product."

"We sold a thread-rolling machine to a large company in Brazil," recalls Yair. "During a recent visit, they told us that production costs with our machine are a mere 30 percent of what they paid using other machines. They asked our secret. We told them it's advanced engineering and uncompromising quality. The machine is equipped with numerous sensors, verifies that bolts are correctly positioned and includes maintenance systems that ensure reliable operation for many years. This allows it to produce better products, faster, and at a fraction of the cost. It also opens new markets for us because our competitors haven't yet reached this level."

Who Are Your Main Competitors?
"There used to be many more," Ido says. "Spanish competitors shut down because their technology couldn't keep up. German competitors imitated us but operated only in their local market, which wasn't large enough for them to survive. Today, only a few competitors remain in France and Italy. In the US, there are only a few left,

"There are competitors in China, but they're very different from us," notes Yair. "They produce more standardized, less sophisticated machines, mainly for their local market. But even though these machines are common in China, when a Chinese company manufactures parts for a Western company, it typically relies on Western-standard machinery. That's why, despite the prevalence of local machines, we still sell our equipment to China — often at ten times the local price. Companies there recognize that we possess technology they don't have. When quality is critical, they come to us."

"Even when it's quantity that's critical, anyone needing to produce tens of thousands of parts per month knows that our machines arecapable of doing so," adds Ido. "Over the years, we've learned a simple truth: the hardest part is selling the first machine. Once that's accomplished, it's only a matter of time before the customer orders another. About 80 percent of our clients are repeat customers, often purchasing machines years after the first order, upgrading production lines that are decades old."

Challenges
One of the company's key business challenges has been currency fluctuations, which required us to adjust prices. Tariff changes under President Trump also increased the cost of Chinese imports. As a result, even though our machines became more expensive for American buyers, Chinese products rose even higher, strengthening our competitive position and helping American customers bring back home some of the manufacturing capabilities that had been lost to China.

Current Developments
"We're moving toward deeper computerization of all machines," Ido continues. They'll operate almost fully automatically, with real-time image processing capabilities. We're also doubling the size of our engineering team, which will allow us to increase annual production and seize every opportunity."

In recent years, adds Yair, Videx has focused on factory production-line automation for a wide range of products. "This will enable our clients to produce higher-quality goods at lower cost with fewer operators," he says. "We're also deeply involved in renewable energy and electricity distribution. We also operate in regions with significant infrastructure needs, such as Brazil, which makes them ideal markets for our machines."

"Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there's been a global shortage of skilled operators," notes Ido. "Machines must be more user-friendly so that even inexperienced operators can run them. So we translate our sophisticated machinery, screens and computer systems into intuitive, operator-friendly interfaces, removing unnecessary complexity. Simplifying operations while maintaining performance is a key area of ongoing development to meet global demand."

"Thanks to the technology my father pioneered and that we continue to develop, Videx dominates the global market for wire-based metal products" concludes Yair. "We'll remain at the forefront, collaborate with diverse industries and showcase our solutions at exhibitions around the world."

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