The first twelve months following the signing of a dealer agreement with Ethiopian-based Leon’s Mercantile Plc., have seen Wacker Neuson South Africa establish a solid foothold in the North East African region. The exclusive agreement has resulted in Wacker Neuson’s light and compact equipment finding wide acceptance with customers in the country’s construction and agricultural sectors.
Dennis Vietze, Managing Director for Wacker Neuson Sub-Saharan Africa, explains that the business relationship dates back to 2019 when Leon’s Mercantile expressed interest in becoming a Wacker Neuson dealer for the Ethiopian territory. “Added to the fact that we did not have a dealer in the region, Leon’s Mercantile successfully serves two of our primary sectors in Ethiopia, the construction and agricultural industries. What was also of interest to us was their outstanding existing infrastructure at their head office in The Piazza, Addis Ababa, and in Sengatera which includes showrooms, workshops, and vehicles. So, we made the smart move by adding Leon’s Mercantile to our Wacker Neuson dealership.”
Leon’s Mercantile Plc. was established in 2005 to contribute its share towards Ethiopia’s growing economy through the importation and supply of quality machinery and equipment to the agricultural, construction, and electromechanical sectors. Initially, the company imported two-wheelers (motorcycles), agricultural machinery (tractors), and implements, later diversifying its imported products to include construction machinery, solar water pumps, and electromechanical equipment. The Addis Ababa headquarters comprises an office area and showrooms. “We are pleased to announce that we are in the process of extending our premises in Sengatera with the construction of a new large showroom as well as a workshop and store areas,” affirms Sevag Behesnilian, General Director of Leon’s Mercantile. “Our skilled team of 24 employees is armed with an excellent educational background and many years of industry experience. Furthermore, we have three vehicles and one loading truck used for promotion and delivery of light construction machinery to our customers.”
In line with the dealer agreement, Leon’s Mercantile’s Wacker Neuson fleet comprises concrete technologies (mechanical internal concrete vibrators, power floats/trowels), compaction technologies (rammers, plate compactors), and power equipment (petrol generators).
Sevag weighs in on the added value of the dealer agreement: “It serves as a testimonial for our customers that Leon’s Mercantile Plc. is the sole supplier in Ethiopia of original and genuine Wacker Neuson products. Owing to the expansion of our Wacker Neuson fleet, the agreement has carved new markets for us. Moreover, Wacker Neuson is a German brand, which is recognized by our customers as being renowned for the highest standards in strength, durability, reliability, and efficiency. In fact, it is due to these very features that the concrete vibrator is the most popular Wacker Neuson product with our customers.”
The team of skilled technicians at Leon’s Mercantile is responsible for aftersales service, maintenance, and repair of Wacker Neuson equipment. “Alongside our well-equipped, state-of-the-art workshops, we also have ample carrying capacities for stock and spare parts,” adds Sevag. “Our workshops and aftersales services have been specifically organized to ensure excellent service delivery for complete customer satisfaction and peace of mind.”
Wacker Neuson supports Leon’s Mercantile through sales, product and technical training. “Training is being conducted virtually as well as in person at the Wacker Neuson Academy in Johannesburg, to ensure that the Leon’s Mercantile team of technicians is fully versed in our product line-up,” states Dennis. “We are equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge so that they can deliver a best-in-class service offering to maximize customer uptime and productivity. Leon’s Mercantile is a well-established, professional, and well-respected company, and having a dealer of this ilk in Ethiopia has firmly rooted Wacker Neuson as a well-known and esteemed brand in the region. We look forward to continue building on this mutually successful business relationship with Leon’s Mercantile,” concludes Dennis.