Construction, agriculture and forestry machinery and equipment manufacturer Wacker Neuson South Africa has announced the introduction of German telehandler brand, Weidemann, to sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural sector.

The company this week said this strategic move ushers in a new force that is set to elevate productivity and performance across the region’s farming landscape.

“From a group perspective, the introduction of Weidemann is very important for us as the supplier in sub-Saharan Africa, not just for us locally, but also for the future growth of the company,’ Wacker Neuson South Africa MD Stefan le Roux told Engineering News during the launch on November 27.

In a media release, he explained that the company’s introduction of Weidemann to the South and sub-Saharan African market reinforced the company’s long-term growth vision for Africa.

He said this marked a defining moment in Wacker Neuson’s expansion journey by bringing Weidemann’s telehandler technology into the company’s sales channel and opening new avenues for innovation and efficiency throughout Africa’s farmlands.

“We identified significant potential in Africa’s agricultural market for telehandlers even before the pandemic. Weidemann, another premium German brand within the Wacker Neuson Group, enables us to deliver yet another exceptional product to our valued customers.

“Providing end-users with the highest quality equipment, backed by outstanding after-sales support, is both our vision and our mission, and this launch is a natural evolution of that commitment,” he said in the media release.

The Weidemann T7042 marks a milestone as the first telehandler model to debut on African soil.

Compact, robust and engineered for high performance, Wacker Neuson said it embodied the agility, versatility and multi-functionality that defined Weidemann’s brand promise - ‘designed for work’.

“After evaluating both market demand and real-world performance, we selected the T7042 for its strength and smart engineering, a machine capable of meeting the rigorous demands of modern agriculture,” Le Roux said in the release.

He further highlighted that the launch set the stage for potential future rollouts, guided by market response, with six Weidemann telehandler variants to choose from, including an electric model.

“Weidemann’s DNA has always been agriculture,” Weidemann South Africa market development manager Etienne Pignon added in the release.

“Africa is a key growth region where farms are rapidly moving toward more efficient, mechanised operations, and our machines are built precisely for these daily demands – from feeding livestock to stacking bales.”

Pignon noted that the T7042 reflected this strength, combining high lifting performance, robust engineering, operator comfort and true multipurpose capability for the realities of African farming.

“Working through Wacker Neuson South Africa allows us to provide trusted local support, fast service and a solid foundation to grow the product range step by step.

“This step into the region is not about making a quick splash; it is about building long-term value and earning trust, one customer at a time.”

The T7042, one of the largest models in the Weidemann portfolio, boasts a 7 m lifting height and a 4.2 t payload. Wacker Neuson said the machine was built to handle demanding tasks with ease.

Available in two powerful engine configurations, the company said the T7042 delivered exceptional performance across a range of applications, from heavy materials handling and high reach stacking to precision pushing and continuous system filling.

Engineered for efficiency and built for productivity, Wacker Neuson explained that the T7042 achieved economic efficiency through integrated technically sophisticated design solutions that combined powerful drive performance, strong thrust forces and dynamic kinetics to deliver high productivity across every task.

The advanced quick-hitch hydraulic system enables fast, comfortable attachment changes, with excellent visibility of the hitch plate for easy, intuitive swaps.

A safe two-handed uncoupling mechanism adds an extra layer of operator protection while maximising uptime.

With high hydraulic output and exceptional machine stability, the company noted that the T7042 supported a range of hydraulically powered attachments, offering the flexibility and speed today’s agricultural operations demanded.

“There is always a demand from our local customers, specifically on agriculture, because of the intensity and the size of the commercial farming, meaning that we need to offer the customer a product that has multiple uses on his farm,” Le Roux told Engineering News.

The T7042’s tight turning radius makes it a compact, agile all-rounder for confined operations.

Wacker Neuson said Weidemann’s advanced engine technologies and “cutting-edge” exhaust after-treatment systems meet current emissions standards, while precisely matched engines tailored to each size class ensure fuel-efficient operation and optimal power.

The company noted that operator safety and comfort were central to Weidemann’s design philosophy, exemplified by the Best View cabin. Its four-pillar structure, panoramic rear windshield and curved front glass delivered exceptional all-round visibility, even with the boom extended, while a sloped engine hood improved sightlines to the rear wheel and surrounding area, ensuring outstanding situational awareness.

Ergonomic controls, a colour-coded interface, sprung joystick console and seven-inch display enhance usability, while an adjustable steering wheel, anti-slip steps, and accessible handles support safe entry.

Adaptive lighting and halogen work lights across the cab and telescopic arm create a fatigue-reducing, productivity-boosting environment.

Wacker Neuson expressed that the T7042 was built not only to perform, but to endure, translating into real-world gains for every operation.

“The fact that we offer a five-year, 6 000-hour warranty on the T7042, more than double the industry standard, underscores our absolute confidence in the telehandler’s quality and reinforces our commitment to long-term customer support,” stressed Le Roux in the release.

Building on this pledge, Wacker Neuson South Africa said it was establishing a dedicated dealer network focused exclusively on the Weidemann brand to ensure on-the-ground support across the region.