Joining nations 1947-1990

THE BIRTH OF THE IIW

VII Edstrom, Sweden, Treasurer, 1948-60.

The only industrialist to belong to the first Executive Council of the IIW was the Treasurer, Walter Edstrom. By training an electrical engineer, he had held a number of challenging posts, notably in pre– revolutionary Russia, before joining Oscar Kjellberg in the firm in Goteborg which first manufactured covered electrodes and which, under the leadership of Walter Edstrom, rapidly developed into a world-wide business under the name of ESAB. If Professor Portevin's presence conferred upon the infant IIW respectability in academic circles, the same could be said of Walter Edstrom with regard to the business community. This was doubly important. Firstly, the often prestigious companies which produced welding equipment and con– sumables exercised at that time an influence over national welding institutes which would be inconceivable today. Through his many contacts with these companies, Edstrom was in a position to promote membership of ~e IIW. Secondly, he was able to encourage the same companies to appoint on the Commissions members of their own staff, the welding supplies industry initially contributing a large proportion of the total contingent of delegates and experts. With his powerful industrial base and his many contacts, Walter Edstrom was an effective ambassador for the IIW as well as a persuasive Treasurer