A range of WEG geared motors – with benefits including efficiency and reliability – will soon be available to customers in South Africa and the rest of the continent from Zest WEG.

According to Zest WEG national sales executive Johan van Niekerk, the WEG WG20 range is a natural extension of the company’s offering in electric motors, and will be available from the third quarter of 2020. The geared motors will be distributed and supported through Zest WEG’s established footprint of strategically located branches and outlets across the continent.

“In keeping with our local production philosophy – and to reduce lead times to customers – the geared units will be assembled in South Africa,” van Niekerk says. “Zest WEG has made a substantial investment in new assembly facilities, including hydraulic presses and assembly tooling.”

He also notes that the geared motors will allow the company to expand services in new markets including the packaging, recycling, food and beverage sectors.

Cas de Jager, Zest WEG geared motor specialist, highlights that local assembly allows reduced time-to-market.

“Underpinning our quick turnaround time will be our skilled employees and local stockholding of a full range of gears, flanges, housings, shafts, bearings, oil seals and other components,” says de Jager.

The components for the geared motors are manufactured by Watt Drive in Austria, an established gear technology specialist and part of the global WEG group. Watt Drive offers a complete range of combinable drive systems for production machines and industrial manufacturing plants. In addition to providing high quality components, the company is also training Zest WEG personnel at its Austrian facility and will regularly send technical experts to continue building capacity in the South African operation.

There are various benefits inherent to geared motors, says de Jager.

“A key improvement delivered by geared motors is their high level of efficiency,” he says. “Only about 1,5% of mechanical efficiency is lost per gear stage, so a two-stage gear unit would be about 97% efficient.” He highlights that they are also very reliable, robust and durability, making them economical to maintain.

Van Niekerk says Zest WEG’s extensive footprint around South Africa and linkages with the rest of the continent positions the company well to introduce the WEG WG20 range to new and existing markets.

“Our geared motors will be given the high levels of service and after-market support for which we are well-known,” he says.