Harald Scherleitner New President of the European Welding Association

The appointment of Scherleitner falls in a significant year for Fronius. The Austrian family-run company is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2025 and can look back on eight decades of technological innovation. “I see my new role as a great responsibility and huge opportunity at the same time,” says Harald Scherleitner. “The welding technology sector is facing critical challenges that we can only overcome together at the European level – above all the shortage of skilled workers, the need to reduce carbon emissions and the continuous improvement of occupational safety in the welding profession.”

Skills and sustainability key factors in welding

Scherleitner has already announced that he will make these topics the focal points of his presidency. In particular, he will be focusing on promoting young talents and making the welding profession more attractive. At the same time, he wants to further strengthen the role of welding technology as a key technology for a sustainable industrial future.

An additional core aspect of his presidency will be the promotion and integration of new technologies. The digitization and automation of welding, smart assistance systems and the use of intelligent welding systems and artificial intelligence offer enormous potential for making processes more efficient, safer and more sustainable. “We must be open to technological developments and actively shape them – for the benefit of the entire industry,” emphasizes Scherleitner.

Industry, energy and environment 

With his many years of experience at Fronius, Harald Scherleitner not only brings with him a wealth of expertise in welding technology, but also a sound understanding of photovoltaics and battery charging technology for intralogistics. This technological breadth allows him to think outside the box and as EWA president he can build important bridges between traditional industry and modern energy technology, between craftsmanship and digitization, and between ecological responsibility and economic efficiency.

With Harald Scherleitner, an experienced industry expert is taking over the helm of the EWA – and with a clear goal: to make European welding technology fit for the future.

(Source: Fronius International GmbH)