strAteN FArm reFereNCe reportTwo Weidemanns at two businesses.

tHe New eHoftrac®

A prototype is being developed further.

issue 01/2014

MAGAZINE

weiDemANN MAGAZINE weiDemANN MAGAZINE02 03CoVer eDitoriAL

Bernd ApfelbeckManaging DirectorWeidemann GmbH

The great success of the T4512 in previous years is the reason why we have now developed an additional small and large brother to it. With the two new compact telehandlers T4108 and T5522, as well as the existing models T4512 and T6025, Weidemann now has a finely graduated line of products aligned even more ideally to the various tasks at hand.

All four types are unique in the combination of lif t height, width and machine capacity. With the all-wheel steering, you are absolutely stable and well-equipped for any task. All telehandlers are already fitted with good, comprehensive and robust standard equipment. In addition, you can assemble your machine with dif ferent options in terms of the drive, tires, hydraulics and operator's cab so that it is 100% tailored to you, your business and your tasks.

Additions to the family: Two new models expand the telehandler line of products.

Innovations are not market-driven – they drive the market.

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

We at Weidemann look with satisfaction at the first three quarters of 2014. Our new products, which we presented for the first time to an international public in Autumn 2013 at the Agritechnica, are being received well on the market. For example, the two new telehandlers T4108 and T5522, which together with the existing two telehandlers now complete a finely graduated line of products, now bring additional compact telehandlers to your farms and businesses precisely where they are needed. The success story we started with the T4512 as "first mover" is therefore continuing - the mini telehandler has established itself on the market.

We also want to keep our nose in front with an additional product from Weidemann. Our development team is working on the new eHoftrac® with a high level of commitment and much internal enthusiasm. Our first new, 100 % electrically driven farm loader completely free of emissions. Our ambitious target is to be able to provide the machine for purchase at this year’s Euro Tier. In this edition of the magazine, we want to inform you about the current state of development and the first user opinions from two test businesses, on pages 14–15. Our opinion: The future is starting right now!

Furthermore, in this edition of the magazine you can look forward to current f ield reports any many novelties from Wiedemann.

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Contents

14-15 20-21

In order to ensure the easier legibility of the text, the shorter masculine spelling is used in the magazine on behalf of both genders.

ImprintPublished by: Weidemann GmbHMühlhäuser Weg 45-49, 34519 Diemelsee - FlechtdorfTel. +49 (0) 5633 609 0, Fax +49 (0) 5633 609 666magazin@weidemann.de, www.weidemann.deWeidemann is affiliate of Wacker Neuson SE, Munich.

Authors: Christina Heine, Sven Rahn

News06 First Weidemann Challenge.

Personnel and Financing/Controlling under new management.

07 Our new man in Italy.

Dealer sales training in Switzerland.

08 Dealers from Ireland guesting at Weidemann.

Weidemann anniversaries – 43 times thank you!

09 The new Weidemann YouTube channel.

expertise10 Every two years…

12 How are the customers and dealers reacting to the new machines?

14 The new eHoftrac® – a prototype is being developed further.

15 The eHoftrac® in test ...

pANorAmA16 "I find it easy to smile!"

18 Exactly the right age …

20 Two business premises, two Weidemanns – there was no other choice.

22 3 Questions to …the new head of product development.

24 A Star is born –

Willy Weidemann discovers the world!

28 No finished machine without proper organization of goods received and flexible logistics.

29 It counts.

preView31 Trade fairs & events.

28-29

07 Weidemann magazine Weidemann magazine06 News News

First Weidemann Challenge.The annual spring exhibition took place on 22-23 March 2014 at ARNEUBA Landtechnik & Fahrzeuge GmbH from Schlettau in Sachsen. For the first time, a so-called Weidemann challenge was a component of the 2-day event. Weidemann provided two Hoftrac® 1350 CXs for this skill competition. During the challenge, 16 select participants had to put all of their driving skills to the test. The first round was about manoeuvring a glass of champagne on a pallet fork through an obstacle course without the glass falling off. Using the Weidemann Hoftrac® 1350 CX, the fastest 4 candidates then had the task of "setting" an entire table in the final round. First and second place finishes could win an exclusive trip to the Weidemann production plant in Korbach (Hesse), including a factory tour, hotel stay and spending money. The third and fourth places each received a voucher for the Weidemann FanShop. Weidemann congratulates all participants.

Our new man in Italy.Since February 2014, 43-year old Fabio Paioro has been servicing dealers for Weidemann directly on site in Italy. He has fundamental experience from his previous employers in the fields of wheel loaders and telehandlers. After intensive training at Weidemann in Germany, Fabio Paioro is now active within the market in the field and has already established good contacts with existing Weidemann dealers. He has already gained three new dealers for Weidemann. Stefano Barale Macchine per L‘Agricoltura in Cuneo province, Galli Trattori snc in Bergamo province and Zucchelli snc Macchine agricole in Brescia, Cremona and Mantowa provinces have started business cooperation with Weidemann.

Dealer sales training in Switzerland.In April this year, 83 sellers from Swiss dealers were trained for a week on the new models and attachments, as well as possible new customer target groups. The training was carried out on the business premises of the Swiss Weidemann importer Bucher Landtechnik. These premises provided a good infrastructure with lecture hall, test grounds and exhibition hall.

The two telehandlers T4108 and T5522 were the subject of special interest to many. This is based on the large turnover of the T4512, introduced in Switzerland in 2010. The partner dealers discussed about the possible application areas of the very compact T4108. The dealers see potential for the T5522 everywhere where the T4512 is too small or works in the upper performance range.

The new wheel loaders 4080 and 5080 were also part of the training program. The dealers saw signif icant upgrades within the range of technology in comparison to the previous models. However, the market in Switzerland for this size of machine is estimated to be rather small in comparison to the telehandlers. After the theoretical part of the training, the machines were tested assiduously on the test grounds. In addition to various bulk materials, the handling of the new machines could also be tested with round and square bales.

After practical training with the machines, the training was continued with the new attachments. The tools and attachments could also be tested here in practice.

Personnel and Financing/Controlling under new management.

The Personnel and Finances/Controlling divisions at Weidemann were each placed under new management in March this year. Angela Stöcker is now Head of Personnel; she has already been with Weidemann for over 20 years and knows the company and its development very well. "I am very happy about my new position, because positive continued development of the company is closely connected to a qualif ied and committed staf f", says Angela Stöcker about her new responsibilities.

Markus Spratte has taken over as Head of Financing and Controlling. He has previously worked in the field of f inancing and controlling for various

companies and has been at Weidemann since 2011. "These days, sound finance management and controlling is essential for the survival of a company of the magnitude of Weidemann – because the target segments of the single divisions have to be gathered into a complete system to ensure safety at all times in terms of costs and budgeting", describes Markus Spratte his function and alignment at Weidemann.

News.

The happy winners.

The new telehandlers aroused considerable interest.

The articulated pendulum joint could be observed at work very well on the mogul course.

New regional manager in Italy: Fabio Paioro.

Angela Stöcker and Markus Spratte.

weiDemANN MAGAZINE weiDemANN MAGAZINE08 09News News

News.

Weidemann anniversaries – 43 times thank you! A total of 43 staf f were honoured for their long service to the company at the Weidemann staf f meeting in April. At Weidemann, the fact that so many staf f members have remained with Weidemann for so long is viewed positively. "For me, a happy life is intimately associated with a good and happy working environment", said Bernd Apfelbeck in his speech to the staf f, in which he thanked everyone for the work they had done for the company and for their many years of commitment. The following staf f were honoured at the anniversary:

Dealers from Ireland guesting at Weidemann. A group with representatives of all dealers active for Weidemann in Ireland and the Republic of Ireland were guests at the Korbach factory in April 2014. During an intensive course of product training, the dealers refreshed their knowledge of all Weidemann products, and all new products were presented to them. Training was run for the new telehandlers T4108, T5522 and the wheel and telescopic wheel loader models 4080 and 5080. The day was rounded off by a guided plant tour and a communal evening meal. The practical part was then run on the next day, including introduction and testing of machines in Flechtdorf. Dealers had the opportunity of testing the machines themselves here.

All of the Irish dealership was present:Wilsons of Rathkenny, T.H. Troughton, Byrne Machinery, Gordon Hegarty & Sons Ltd., Paudy Buckley & Co. Ltd., Clarke Machinery Ltd. and H. Fulton Tractors.

Visit the Weidemann YouTube channel at:

www.youtube.com/WeidemannGmbH

The new Weidemann YouTube channel.Looking at videos on the Internet and recommending them to others has been trending for some time now. This is just one of the reasons why the largest video platform in the world, YouTube, has been booming. Since the end of November 2013, Weidemann also has its own channel with diverse videos. It can be accessed at the following link:

www.youtube.com/weidemannGmbH

A total of over 20 videos can now be viewed there. In the first six months, the videos have been viewed more than 140,000 times.

A few weeks after the world's largest agricultural engineering trade fair, the videos that achieved the most views, as expected, were the videos where the Weidemann Agritechnica innovations were presented, most notably the films about the new telescopic wheel loader 5080 T and 4080 T as well as those about the new small telehandler T4108. Also of great interest was the corporate and technological portrait from the series of milestones in agricultural engineering, where the development and success history of the Hoftrac® was presented in detail.

Other videos show practical applications of various Hoftrac® models in agriculture and on horse farms. For technology enthusiasts, there is a film about the driver assist system vls (Vertical Lif t System), the folding operator's canopy eps (Easy Protection System), and two films about the development and production of the farm, wheel and telehandlers. Additional f ilms are already being shot. A look at the Weidemann YouTube channel is always worthwhile.

For their anniversary of over 25 years with the company:Klaus Hochbein, Detlef Schäfer and Jörg Weidemann.

For their anniversary of over 20 years, with the company since 1989: Klaus-Helmut Beckmann, Freddy Danneels, Jörg Erlemann, Hartmut Fischer, Rolf Geldbach, Bernd Jacob, Arno Kretschmer, Karin Merhof, Günter Radtke, Nicole Wienroth.

For their anniversary of over 20 years, with the company since 1990: Stef fen Curth, Michael Fingerhut, Waldemar Fitz, Andreas Henning, Bert Hinke, Wilhelm Horn, Klaus Jordan, Wolfgang Müller, Michael Werner.

For their anniversary of over 20 years, with the company since 1991: Johannes Fech, Bernd Gruber, Viktor Kinzel, Andreas Mai

For their anniversary of over 20 years, with the company since 1992: Edward Ciechomski, Thorsten Fuchs, Alexander Gleim, Eduard Neimann, Jakob Oswald, Alexander Petri, Rudolf Polle, Johann Schäfer, Angela Stöcker, Dirk Trachte.

For their anniversary of over 20 years, with the company since 1993: Jörg Becker, Andreas Petkau, Stefan Seul, Carsten Sude, Ralf Zelder.

For their anniversary of over 10 years with the company:Timo Eisenberg and Heike Zelder.

Hartmuth Schiller, Chairman (lef t) and the commercial director Bernd Apfelbeck (right) thank long-term employees of Weidemann.

10 11 Weidemann magazine Weidemann magazineexpertise expertise

Every two years…A trade fair that reliably breaks its own records every two years. that is the Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany. Higher, faster, further - once more in 2013. Agribusiness is staying on the ball!

2,900 exhibitors from 47 countries and 450,000 visitors – agricultural landholders, contractors, and dealers from all over the world met at Hanover in 2013. With an increase of 7 % in comparison to 2011, the Agritechnica 2013 has been able to set a new visitor record. Among them came around 338,000 visitors from the interior, where farmers from all German regions were well represented. In respect to the international area, the trade fair had around 112,000 visitors – noted to be about 25 % in all. Most international visitors were from Switzerland (over 11,500 visitors), The Netherlands (10,000), Austria (8,700), France (7.500), Ireland (5,800), Denmark (5,200), Great Britain (5,000), Belgium (4,500), Finland (4,300) and Italy (3.700). With around an additional 19,000 decision-makers from large business in Central and East Europe, the Agritechnica has proven once again to the main trade fair for the agricultural industry.

For Weidemann as well, the Agritechnica is the suitable platform at which to present new products. A whole mountain of work has to be done after the trade fair: The national and international dealers were trained in the new products and were prepared to make sure that no question from customers remains unanswered. The new products for 2013/14 can now be actively sold in the distributor countries by Weidemann dealers. The reaction from dealers and customers to our new machines is descried on pages 12 and 13.

Videos showing the new Weidemann products in use are available on our YouTube channel at:

www.youtube.com/weidemannGmbH

At the special "Milestones of agricultural technology" show of the dlv German Agricultural Publishing House, the historic Perfekt 130 was exhibited by Weidemann as the highlight. This was the fif th machine ever built of this type, from 1974. Weidemann searched for this still-functioning machine as part of a competition on the occasion of the 40th birthday of the Hoftrac® in 2012. The machine was found and lavishly restored to its former glory. Visitors to the trade fair were therefore able to discuss in detail about the many generations of work machines from Weidemann with Weidemann's long-service staf f – and they took the opportunity to do so in droves! For Weidemann, it was amazing how many machines from previous years of manufacture are still in active operation, and the dedication with which their owners care for them. With the 1140 and the 1770 CX50, the entire range of the current Hoftrac® line of products was presented at the stand.

The Wittmer family visited "its" Perfekt 130.

The two Weidemann managing directors Bernd Apfelbeck and Hans-Heinrich Schmidt (f.l.) are pleased about the recognition of the many years of Hoftrac® development.

12 13 weiDemANN MAGAZINE weiDemANN MAGAZINEexpertise expertise12 weiDemANN MAGAZINE expertise

what are customers and dealers in the German weser/ems region saying?

The new telehandler models T4108 and T5522 are being very well received and are in high demand. Some sales have already been made. Due to their compact dimensions, enormous manoeuvrability and really superb power ratings, these machines make daily work fun! Often, a clear view of the right rear wheel is almost always blocked by the high engine hood of the side telescopes. Not so without the T4108 model, and even the much more powerful T5522. Here, interested parties have praised the unrivalled overview within the area of the telehandler, with its laterally arranged arm, when working in narrow stables. According to opinions from users, the position of the machine can be very easily assessed at narrow passageways.

The first positive impression of customers of the 4080 and 5080 wheel loader and telescopic wheel loaders, f itted with new engines compliant with emission standard level IIIB, is their new

Andreas Hoof,Weidemann Regional Manager,Weser/Ems.

design. The joystick too, which has now developed into a multifunction lever, has also received much praise, especially from professional users.

Control of the third control circuit, which can be easily operated by the index finger, is very good when, for instance, using a shear grab. The professional, who often spends 1,000 operating hours and more at the machine in the course of the year, is also pleased about the extension and retraction of the telescopic arm using the thumb wheel on the joystick, and simultaneous operation of the loading system, such as simultaneous lif ting and rolling in.

And even our distributors praise the multitude of options, such as the selection of touch-controlled and locking electrical functions that can be ordered from the factory. This saves time and effort for laborious retrofitting of special, technically more complex attachments, which have to be adjusted to the new machine on order of the customer.

Fabio Paioro.Weidemann Regional Manager, Italy.

what are customers and dealers in italy saying?

"The customer has been moved even more to the centre with the new products from Weidemann. The result of development for wheel loaders 4080/5080 is an ergonomic and user-friendly cab, and an improvement of environmental-friendliness due to the new level IIIB engines. The new joystick allows for central, user-friendly control of many functions and attachments with one grip. The joystick provides various options, because it controls the electrical functions and can even be programmed as required. Additionally, the digital display indicates the status of the machine and permits fast and clear fault diagnostics. Furthermore, the new machines are very environmentally friendly due to a reduction in emissions and in fuel consumption of around 5 %. In comparison to the previous models, this is ultimately less harmful when working in the vicinity of animals.

The new telehandlers T4108 and T5522 now permit the machine to be used in fields of application that were previously reserved for the Hoftracs® or wheel loader – this gives up a concrete advantage in comparison with the competition.

The T4108 really is more manoeuvrable and more compact than the T4512, and we can therefore provide a solution for situations in which space is a major consideration. In contrast, with the T5522 we have a telehandler whose performance is very close to that of entry-model telehandlers from other well-known manufacturers. We are therefore able to provide Weidemann quality and to implement our love of detail in our tried-and-tested, spacious cab, in which both the seat and the steering wheel can be adjusted. Additionally, the position of the driver has been heightened to indicate the importance of good all-round vision that also permits an improved view of the attachments. Another benefit to the user is that in this machine, the new multifunction joystick has been implemented with a digital display – clearly increasing driving comfort.

Summa summarum we can say that we have been able to meet the wishes of our customers even more with these new models.”

An astonishing amount of interest has been shown, and requests made, for the eHoftrac® with electrical drive. Low-noise, emission-free work is in the foreground when it comes to these machines, in order to keep jumpy animals calm when sprinkling and feeding. But even nurseries have shown interest. For them, the advantage is to be able to use a machine without exhaust fumes in a closed glasshouse, but also outside in the fields, where, for instance, a forklif t is no longer able to work properly due to its rigid construction. The market is just waiting to purchase these machines!

How are the customers and dealers reacting to the new machines?

15 weiDemANN MAGAZINE14 weiDemANN MAGAZINE expertise expertise

With the electrical drive, Weidemann is breaking new ground. Our engineers and technicians are working at full speed on this trendsetting innovation. Jan Prechel, head of vehicle development at Weidemann, is keeping us up-to-date on the state of development.

what has happened, fundamentally, since the presentation of the eHoftrac® prototypes?

Coordination of the drive characteristics has been carried out by and with practitioners within the framework of a "coordination event". The development of two driving modes has been derived from this: Normal and eco. An additional power mode is in planning, but has not yet been implemented.

How does the eHoftrac® run in practical conditions?

We carried out a long-term practical test with the machine. We ran and evaluated various tasks

The new eHoftrac® – a prototype is being developed further.

The eHoftrac® in test ...

The eHoftrac® – Innovative. Electrical. Emission-free.

weidemann presented the prototypes of the new eHoftrac® at the Agritechnica 2013. the eHoftrac® was received with great interest and actively discussed in the trade press. Visitors to the trade fair have viewed and discussed this emission-free machine intensively.

with a focus on determination of the runtime under dif ferent usage conditions. This already proved that the runtime of 2 to 4 hours calculated in advance could also be achieved in real practice conditions at full load. Furthermore, we were also two weeks at a horse farm and two weeks at a dairy farm with the eHoftrac® to gain more practical f indings.

what technical features are being worked on?

The development and inclusion of work hydraulics controlled appropriate to need, which ensures an additional increase in ef ficiency and therefore an increase in runtime, is important to us. Furthermore, we have implemented the inclusion of an electrically controlled parking brake with active standstill control on the machine.

The development team is currently assessing all components critically with regard to their optimization potential. For instance, we are currently optimizing the frequency inverter – in the future, there will only be a twin inverter instead of two separate inverters. One of the main development goals of the eHoftrac® is to reduce the number of total electrical components required in order to be able to offer a good price-performance ratio by reducing the complexity of the machine.

weidemann warmly thanks both test establishments!

… at the oswald Brüne stables in Diemelsee-Adorf.

Oswald Brüne tested the eHoftrac® with various attachments for two weeks at his farm with 30 horses. The main jobs during this time were mucking out, moving silo, and straw bales. To date, Oswald Brüne does not use any farm loader at his farm, but does the required jobs using his tractor and an attached front loader.

"The emission-free issue is naturally an important factor of the machine for a horse farm. The horses therefore remain

undisturbed, both in the stables and in the riding hall. And even when riding, work is no problem. The machine is correctly sized for mucking out single stalls, and is very manoeuvrable. It replaces the laborious work otherwise involved with a wheelbarrow. “Summarizes Oswald Brüne his test with the eHoftrac®.

… at the Brenzel & ratjens Gbr dairy farm in Neukirchen Asterode.

Erich Brenzel also tested the eHoftrac® for two weeks at his dairy farm with 160 cows and an agricultural area of 320 ha. The eHoftrac® was used to push the feed, to spread straw, and for mucking out.

The fact that the machine did not cause any exhaust emissions in smaller pens (such as the calf barn) was also evaluated very positively at this farm. Erich Brenzel has been driving the Hoftrac 917 from Weidemann on his farm for years. He assesses the emission-free work with the eHoftrac® positively: "The machine is good in

equal measure for both man and animal". The farmer does not think the buzzing noise caused by the eHoftrac® is a problem for the cows and calves – the animals didn't seem to notice the "new" noise.

Erich Brenzel thinks the lif ting force and battery running time of the machine are good. Even the thrusting force matches the machine size of a comparable Hoftrac®.

17 weiDemANN MAGAZINE16 weiDemANN MAGAZINE pANorAmApANorAmA

The machines are cleaned, the location decided, the photo team is booked, and we can start! Just the models are missing … not at Weidemann! Because our models are often the Weidemann staf f themselves. Irrespective of whether photos are required for the product brochures, the website, this magazine, the career brochures or job descriptions, there are more than enough helpful members of staf f who also cut a good figure outside of their normal working environment. Sometimes selection is quite dif f icult - unfortunately, not all hobby models can always be used!

When the big day finally arrives, all participants look forward to an event-ridden shooting. "I don't f ind it hard to smile! I stand completely behind our products and driving is fun every time; a broad smile is on my lips automatically" reports Christian

Berling, product specialist at Weidemann. And many of our voluntary models think just the same. It is clear to everyone how happy they are when handling the machines. Even our photographer, who normally works with professional models, is enthusiastic: "The appeal radiated by the staf f simply can't be achieved by a model from a catalogue. Time and again, I admire how confident and positive everyone is in front of the camera, even though many are doing it for the first time". Who could otherwise advertise our products so convincingly and authentically, when not our own staf f? We are sure that this will also be received well by you – our customers and partners …

… and perhaps you might even recognise a face or two.

"I find it easy to smile!"weidemann values authenticity. we therefore like to use genuine photos of staff at suitable locations in our communications. of course, a professional photo team is also used, but we mostly do without cast photo models – after all, no-one can communicate more about us than our own staff, who are convinced of the matter and of the product.

1. Max-Ferdinand Kussberg (operations scheduling + planning).

2. Artur Radmacher (spare parts business).

3. Andreas Schröder (group leader for assembly line 2)

4. Werner Heider (quality assurance).

5. Christian Berling (product specialist).

6. Pascal Korbmacher (assembly).

41 2 5 63

Christina Kasdorf (Sales Support Centre) and Torben Schüttler (student trainee, drive technology).

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Exactly the right age …… is a 7-year old machine, when it comes to peter Barchfeld to stade in the training workshop of the technology centre of the Braunschweig-Lüneburg-stade Chamber of Crafts.

Because naturally, this machine that has just been handed over is the Weidemann wheel loader 3070 CX60 from 2007, a machine that apprentices can find in their daily practice in their training companies. During their 3 ½-year training as mechanics for agricultural and construction machine technology, the apprentices participate at practical training centres, the interplant apprentice training courses in the Chamber of Crafts. In this occupation, these one-to-two week courses include hydraulics, engine, travel gear, electric/electronic and diagnostics courses.

This all takes place in the modern training workshop for utility vehicle and agricultural engineering in Stade, where training master Peter Barchfeld has been working for over 15 years and has continuously advanced the equipment of the workshop with great commitment. "Our technology centre lives and

breathes from it modern equipment, which always remains true to life. Naturally, everything about a machine or a component that I can show directly to a trainee remains much better in the memory", says Peter Barchfeld, and the head of the training department, Jürgen Knoll, adds: "The trainees and their companies really value the high quality of our interplant courses, because they provide concrete support in daily practice." Every year, approx. 250 persons from over 80 member companies within the commuter belt of the Elbe-Weser triangle are trained in the technology centre. About 20 to 25 % of these are from within the field of construction machine technology.

The courses are run in small groups of 12 trainees. A deeper understanding is thereby communicated not just about the technology, but also in the operation, troubleshooting and settings of the

machinery. Training is based on the corresponding workshop documents, wiring diagrams, operator's manuals and parts books provided to the technology centre by the manufacturers for the courses.

"Our centre of technology and expertise, which is unique within the Federal Republic of Germany, plays a leading role. In the last few decades, utility vehicle and agricultural engineering has developed into a high-end branch and is completing this technological change with increasing speed. Professional education and training must permanently keep up with this. For us, therefore, the linking of theory and practice is a guarantee for training at the highest, cutting-edge level," is how the managing director of the Chamber of Crafts in Stade, Matthias Steffen, describes the high and constantly changing requirements.

At the beginning 2014, the Chamber of Crafts in Stade were able to acquire the 3070 CX60 wheel loader with the support of Weidemann. Training is a topic close to the heart of Hans-Heinrich Schmidt, the technical director of Weidemann: "We can only maintain the high quality of our authorized dealers in the long run if the next generation of mechanics is able to be excited by the technology and its use within agriculture. We were therefore very happy to support the technology centre with our machine, a wheel loader in a size as used on many farms." Included in this group was also Günther Böttjer, Head of Services at Detlev Mehrtens Maschinentechnik GmbH from Zeven. The company itself is a member company of the Chamber of Crafts and has not only been sending its own trainees to the technology centre for years, but has also been supporting it by lending it various machines, e.g. the 1160 and 1280 from the Weidemann Hoftrac® range. "For training within the fields of hydraulics and undercarriage technology, we at Mehrtens have been lending machines on a cost-free basis for six years, because qualif ied training is also very important to us and we were impressed by the use of Peter Barchfield for the technology centre," is how Günther Böttjer describes this active sponsorship.

It thereby became clear that the ability to tilt the driver's platform and cabin to the side - something that could be done with the Weidemann machines - is really useful during training. This allows the trainees to access the components more easily. During training in the field of hydraulics, course participants can now exactly measure and adjust the complete work hydraulics with pilot equipment and hydrostatic steering at the newly acquired 3070 CX60. Several additional electro-hydraulic features, such as locking of the work hydraulics and pressure release of the 3rd section allow good

functional checks and diagnostics exercises to be carried out here (inclusion of faults). In the field of travel gear and drive technology, the hydrostatic check, all-wheel and dif ferential lock circuit and the hydraulic brake system are optimally integrated into this wheel loader. Because the vehicle is equipped with a comprehensive electrical system, as well as with a diesel engine with exhaust gas recirculation and even with an air-conditioning system, it can also be used very well in training in the fields of electrics/electronics and engine technology.

Weidemann wishes the technology centre every success and informative experiences with the 3070 CX60 wheel loader – our machine at the best time of its life!

Machine hand-over in Stade (v. l. n. r.): Jürgen Knoll, Matthias Stef fen, Peter Barchfeld on the machine (all from the technology centre) and Hans-Heinrich Schmidt (Weidemann) and Günther Böttjer (D. Mehrtens Maschinentechnik).

Inspections in the area of travel gear drive technology are possible using our self-constructed test stand.

The master of all inspections and courses – Peter Barchfeld has been the heart and soul of the technology centre for more than 15 years when it comes to agricultural and construction machines.

Technology fans talking shop – Peter Barchfeld and Hans-Heinrich Schmidt.

20 21 Weidemann magazine Weidemann magazinepANorAmApANorAmA

As the first Weidemann Hoftrac® 1250 was used by Friedrich Straten on his farm in 2011, it was clear that this machine would be used heavily and for many dif ferent operations. At 650 operating hours per year, it runs for many hours every day in indoor livestock systems and manages 200 cows plus breeding. The range of tasks performed by the 12-machine is astonishingly large: Moving the feed forward with the wheel, fetching remains of feed with the rubber pusher and bucket from the stable, removing remains of feed with the rubber pusher from the silage heap, mucking out stables with the shear grab, sprinkling cubicles in the stables of cows and young animals, storing and transporting square bales of straw and round bales of hay, moving feed sacks with the pallet fork, keeping the farm clean with the sweeper, and carrying out activities in the garden and maintenance work with the work platform - and even more. "A whole lot of other things occur to you with this machine," says Friedrich Straten, who has already equipped himself with a large selection of attachments that he and his staf f are able to use optimally almost every day. The machine is f itted with a fold-down operator's canopy. It is therefore easy to enter existing buildings with low ceilings.

The operation in Barßel in the administrative district of Cloppenburg manages a total of 450 hectares of arable land at two locations. Corn is being cultivated on two-thirds of this area. 85 % of this is used as feed for the animals and to supply the farm's

own 500 kW biogas plant. 15 % can be additionally marketed. On around a third of the area, the grass is harvested as a basis for the animal fodder. The farm is managed as a family operation and has 4 permanent staf f and 2 part-time seasonal staf f.

Combining operations.This size is unusual for an operation, even for Kloppenburg – Friedrich Straten was able to take over a second farm a few years ago, allowing both areas to be combined. The second farm location is used to rear approx. 200 fattening bulls. Here too, it became clear very quickly: An additional Weidemann was required. Because the farms were located 10 kilometres apart, it was impossible to supply both animal stocks using just one machine. An additional Hoftrac® therefore came into play in March 2013 – Friedrich Straten decided for a slightly more powerful 1370 CX50 for the bull fattening farm, equipped with a third control circuit (Comfort) and the Faster rapid action coupling to make changing the tools even easier. At these business premises, feeding using a feed distributor attached at the front for grass and corn silage with self-f il l ing is in the foreground. This equipment mix comes into its own in the areas of a building where feed mixers cannot be used. The operator has a clear view of the front tool attachment. The food is loosened as it is distributed, which makes it easier for the animals to eat. Otherwise, the machine is used with almost the same attachment equipment

as on the dairy farm. There is even a second work platform to be able to work at heights on the second farm solidly and safely, e.g. to clean roof gutters. Both machines run with a long load arm to optimally exploit the lif ting height. Dealer Daniel Neumann from Neumann Landtechnik GbR in Harkebrügge has advised when doing this that the machine be fitted with wide tyres to increase stability when handling large amounts of material. Water f il l ing of the tyres is also an aspect of the 13-series. "Decisive for the customer is which tasks he wants to deal with on his farm and the heights and widths of the passages in his buildings – I can therefore recommend the optimal machine for him with the correct equipment", says Daniel Neumann.

Two business premises, two Weidemanns – there was no other choice.

1. After the f irst feeding, the feed can be easily brought back near to the animals using the rotating feed slide wheel.

2. When passageways are low, jump onto a "convertible" – no problem for Friedrich Straten with the fold-down operator's canopy.

3. Large heights can be reached by the long load arm.

4. Silage can be quickly taken up by the self-f i l l ing feed distributor …

5. … and brought directly to the animals in easy-to-manage stacks.

The dealer must play his part.Naturally, Friedrich Straten also has a very exact idea of the dealer he trusts: Decisive for him is also availability on Sundays and holidays – days on which the animals also have to be fed. "It is very important for me to know that I can rely on my contact person 100% and that when needed I will be helped in a timely manner, whether this be with a loaned machine, or when spare parts need to be available quickly – and of course, this applies to my whole machine fleet," says 31-year old business economist Friedrich Straten. For him, good, sustained advice is the basis for a long-term cooperation with an agricultural equipment merchant.

A good relationship – Friedrich Straten and his dealer Daniel Neumann (from the lef t).

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22 23 Weidemann magazine Weidemann magazinepANorAmApANorAmA

Name: Klaus Pohl

Age: 46

occupation: Head of product development

Background: Qualif ied engineer (technical university) in machine manufacture and & qualif ied engineer (technical university) in machinery computer science

the following is important Creative leeway and to have a good for my job: working environment while at the same time

being ef fective and delivering results.

when i am not working: I do sport: Jogging, in-line-skating, CAT sailing, skiing or I love to go on excursions, e.g. city tours with a cultural aspect.

what is the area in which the head of product development works and what are the concrete tasks involved?

The position of the head of product development is part of the global growth strategy of Weidemann and Wacker Neuson. Organisation is uniform at the single location; group-wide development activities are coordinated and agreed upon between our central group technology and the heads of product development. Certain development tasks such as product design or more complex calculations are thereby handled centrally. For instance, we therefore develop, as a global player,

common technical platforms for group products. We hereby try to ensure the greatest possible dif ferentiation and adjustments to the various markets and customer requirements. Additionally, many synergies that clearly raise our products above those of the competition are exploited due to the cooperation in the group.

My tasks as the head of product development at the Korbach plant are therefore very comprehensive. For the most part, they are the further development of the products, the processes and even the staf f. For me, it is particularly important that our staf f is well informed at all times

and that they understand their contribution towards the whole.

which of your experiences can you incorporate into your work at weidemann – what is your work philosophy for this?

During my professional journey up to now I have worked for companies of various sizes and also experienced the various economic cycles; from small, owner-managed companies via a medium-sized manufacturer of agricultural machines linked to a group right up to a large group within drive technology – I have learned that commercial success, put simply, always depends on the sum of correct decisions and good cooperation.

I am very eager to learn and to try new things. And I don't shy away from challenging targets. To the contrary, it is important to lose no time and to take the first step. This is based on good, comprehensive technical knowledge supplemented by knowledge of methods such as lean management and management competency, which then ultimately results in higher implementation speeds.

Currently, I am very intensively occupied within product development with quality, f idelity to deadlines and achieving cost targets of the project. For Weidemann as the market leader, the number of innovations as well as their speed and legal protection - protection of intellectual property - are very important to be permanently successful. We will of course use existing structures of Weidemann and Wacker Neuson here, but will also try out new methods. The motto is: Don't wait for change - cause it!

3 questions to … the new head of product development.Klaus pohl has joined weidemann since the end of last year as the new head of product development. You can discover what exactly Klaus pohl does at weidemann and why this job is so important in our interview.

what impulses do you predict for future machine and product development at weidemann – what are the challenges?

An important impulse is certainly the idea of the eHoftrac®. With the electrif ication of the products, additional possibilities open up for introduction of new technologies, and there will be additional innovative new products. I am also thinking here of the development of additional functional attachment tools that would be very good additions to the product range.

One of the most important topics is that of product costs – both today and in the future. Our sales organization supplies us here with the required impulses to know which functions in our products the end customer is prepared to pay for. We achieve the cost targets derived from this by good cooperation with our colleagues in procurement, production, and product management and by the use of suitable methods such as value analysis.

An additional impulse, which we are currently designing for our machines, is "LEVEL 4 interim/final"; this is the implementation of the legal regulations to meet the emission thresholds for diesel engines. Here too, cooperation in the group pays in order to exchange the knowledge and experience gained with the prototypes in a timely manner.

24 25 weiDemANN MAGAZINE weiDemANN MAGAZINEpANorAmApANorAmA

A Star is born – Willy Weidemann discovers the world!Agritechnica 2013 … when will it finally happen … how long do we still have to wait … what will it be like … and then it finally arrives – our willy weidemann!

Just in time for the event of the year, the Agritechnica in Hanover, Willy Weidemann was born as a cuddly soft toy. Equipped with everything that simply must belong to a Weidemann wheel loader, he can now discover his world with wide-open eyes.

Arriving at his hometown, Willy f irst glances at the sights of Korbach.

In the Weidemann production factory at Korbach, Willy immediately goes on tour with the goal of discovering his new house and his new hometown. To enter the factory grounds in Korbach, Willy must first stop and register at the gate. He receives a visitor ID from Rainer Kesper and the most important regulations

on correct behaviour on the grounds and at the production facilities. In addition to managing individual guests and whole visitor groups, the men and women at the gate also take care of reception and instruction of the many daily suppliers and shippers that drive on the company grounds. During the night, factory security makes sure that everything is secure and in order on the Weidemann grounds.

Now Willy wants to see what single parts are used to create his big brothers. Already in the outdoor area, he finds a huge warehouse with tyres, cabins and engines. All smaller elements and components can be found in the warehouse. Thousands of hoses, screws, bolts, electrical components and much more are stored here on high shelves. Thanks to a cleverly thought-out system all required parts can be

quickly located and provided in a timely manner for assembly. Stefan Behlen is one of four staf f members responsible for providing the single, smaller components for the assembly lines on time. He does the rounds between the warehouse and the assembly line many times during a day.

He takes Willy along on a stretch of his tour and shows him the powder-coating plant and the painting plant.

To prepare the steel components optimally for subsequent powder coating and painting, the parts are put through a modern steel plant. Willy can observe how the welded components are transported by a crane and driven into the blasting plant. After about a minute, a cleaned steel part appears; this forms the basis for the quality of the further processing – he takes a close look at this with Ufuk Kahyar.

The components then move automated to powder coating and then to the burning-in oven. Here, the powder is burned into the steel parts at 180 degrees for approx. 45–90 minutes, depending on the material thickness. Because burning in the powder requires very high temperatures, not all parts can be coated in this way. "I am out of here!" thinks Willy, "otherwise I will burn my fur!"

There is something interesting for Willy at the end of the powder-coating plant: The parts are disengaged after the cooling line by Martin Pooch and then sorted and made ready for the assembly line. "Oh man, that is a lot of single parts. I don't know what should be screwed onto what," thinks Willy.

26 27 weiDemANN MAGAZINE weiDemANN MAGAZINEpANorAmApANorAmA

The new video on YouTube also provides you with a gripping look at the Weidemann production line. This shows sections of the Weidemann production process from powder-coating right up to final assembly of the machine at: www.youtube.com/user/weidemannGmbH

And you can also get Willy from the Weidemann Shop at:www.weidemann-shop.de

And now, quickly over to the assembly hall – Willy wants to finally see how the Weidemanns are assembled. In the assembly line, for instance, Sascha Schnegelsberg first lays the axles on the carts running

along the rails, to then assemble the front and rear carriages.

In the pre-assembly line, Andreas Paschke makes sure, e.g. that a telescopic arm is completely f itted with its intended kinematics and electronics. Willy has never seen that, because he himself has a load arm.

After connecting the front and rear carriages, the oscillating suspension units or the telescopic arm and the wheels are fixed to complete the base frame The core component of the machine, the engine block, as well as the electronics and the hydraulic lines, are installed in the next step. Placing on the driver's cab or the cabin completes the machine. Just tighten a few screws and make sure the machine is correctly f itted and all that is still missing on the finished Weidemann are the brand and type stickers.

True to the German motto, "trust is good, control is better," all machines run through a final end check. Willy is impressed at how beautifully Freddy Danneels fits the machines with labels and checks all of their functions from top to bottom.

And all of a sudden … Willy is also given a direct check. He had not reckoned with that!

After an exciting and eventful day, Willy needs to take a rest and collect new energy for his next adventure. He takes a long, extended snooze on the T4512 telehandler – first on the steering wheel, but then on the seat, which is of course much more comfortable.

On the next day, Willy wants to know who controls all that – it seems to him the many parts and staf f are moved, assembled and mounted in the production line like magic. He needs an overview – so he takes an exact look at the complete production plan with Dirk Rahn. "There is a big team behind this," Dirk tells him. Willy is deeply impressed – the construction of such machines in full size really is a special task indeed!

But now Willy wants to go out and see something completely dif ferent – he wants to see how his big brothers deal with the daily work on the farms. He likes the smell of fresh feed and the cows were very nice to him. And what the large machines can do, Willy has been able to do for ages – however, whether or not the cows ate to their full was not known by the copy deadline …

28 29 Weidemann magazine Weidemann magazinepANorAmApANorAmA

Discover some interesting and impressive numbers concerning logistics and goods received in the Weidemann production plant in Korbach.

70On average lorries and transporters deliver their various goods to the production plant in Korbach every day.

Forklif ts are used by Weidemann.

20

Staff in total work at Weidemann in the logistics and goods received departments. 33

4 Routers are in continuous operation in the plant to supply the assembly lines with small parts.

That counts.

7, 00m² total storage area is available. This area is divided into the outdoor storage area, the inside storage area and storage areas outside of the location.

No finished machine without proper organization of goods received and flexible logistics.

A Weidemann is comprised of many dif ferent parts and materials. To ensure that a machine can be built quickly and efficiently at the modern plant in Korbach, well thought-out material management is required. On every working day, around 70 dif ferent lorry deliveries arrive at the plant in Korbach. They bring the most varied materials: Small parts such as screws and nuts, cable for the electrics, hoses for the hydraulics, steel components, tyres, engines and much more. To ensure that all these materials are available for assembly at the right time and the right place, good warehouse management is indispensable, and this already starts with the goods received.

At Weidemann, we always dif ferentiate between three dif ferent types of materials: The first are materials kept in our so-called C-parts management system. These include, for instance, hydraulic hoses, screws, labels and mating screw joints and hardware. These materials are not kept in stock by Weidemann but are delivered directly to the assembly line once per week by their respective suppliers. The second types of material are small steel components and bolts, kept in an external

to ensure that a weidemann machine can be constructed at the production plant in Korbach, sufficient materials have to be purchased, stored and provided to the assembly line at the right time. the goods received and logistics departments therefore play a decisive role in a well-functioning production process at weidemann.

Kanban system. In contrast to the C parts however, these parts are kept in stock by Weidemann at various storage locations. The third types of material are materials subject to classical forward panning, i.e. all materials that do not belong to the two previously mentioned material types. This includes, for instance, engines, cabins, tyres, steel components, engine covers, axles, etc. These are ordered in the typical manner from the suppliers by the scheduler.

When a delivery arrives at the plant, it is unloaded by a forklif t in the goods received area and stored according to its type of material at the correct storage location. Steel components, axles and hydraulic cylinders first pass through the powder-coating and painting plants before being made available to the assembly line. All materials that do not need to be painted or powder coated are taken by routers and forklif ts directly from their storage location to the respective assembly line. Correct material management and logistics are indispensable in a professional production company to be able to work ef ficiently and at a high level of quality. Meeting this demand is one of the primary targets of Weidemann.

Approx.6,000dif ferent active materials are installed in Weidemann machines in the plant in Korbach.

Four routers supply the assembly lines with small parts that are not controlled by the C-parts management system or Kanban.

Goods received at the production plant in Korbach.

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Trade Fairs & Dates.Grüne tage ("Green Day") at thuringia19th – 21st September 2014Erfurt, Germany

Agro show 201419th – 22nd September 2014Bednary, Poland

Landwirtschaftliches Hauptfest (main agricultural trade fair)27th September – 5th October 2014Stuttgart, Germany

sommet de l’elevage1st – 3rd October 2014Cournon, France

Agrosalon7th – 10th October 2014Moscow, Russia

We look forward to your visit!

Tell us your story!

Have you had particularly positive experiences with Weidemann, or do you use your machine for a particularly special purpose? Tell us about it!

We look forward to your e-mail to:magazin@weidemann.de

And perhaps there will soon be another great story in our Weidemann magazine.

oberschwabenschau11th – 19th October 2014Ravensburg, Germany

indAgra29th October – 2nd November 2014Bucharest, Romania

eurotier11th – 14 November 2014Hanover, Germany

eima12th – 16th November 2014Bologna, Italy

Agromek25th – 28th NovemberHerning, Denmark

Agrama28th November – 1st December 2014Bern, Switzerland

pferd & Jagd04. – 7th December 2014Hanover, Germany

Green Live08. – 10th December 2014Kalkar, Germany

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