At a recent event to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, Fliegl – the German manufacturer best known for its trailed products – showed the first loader to be produced since its acquisition of the production rights for the Kaweco loader range in February.
The Fliegl 2527 is the company’s first attempt at building such a machine, and it is said to be a Kaweco 25-27 in all but name.
The 25-27 was the last and most modern model to be produced by the Dutch company before its owners, Royal Reesink, decided to close the factory last October.
The Fliegl version has the same specifications and performance with an operating weight of 2,500kg, a lifting capacity of 1,850kg, and a reach of up to 2.9m.
Just like its predecessor, it is powered by a 37hp Yanmar stage V diesel engine that is slung low in the chassis to lower its centre of gravity, although whether this will be considered enough power for a busy farmyard is yet to be seen.
Fliegl factory
The machines are to be produced in the same factory as the Cargos range of silage wagons, a series of machines originally developed by Claas and sold on to Fliegl in May 2022 when Claas withdrew from that particular market segment.
As a specialist trailer manufacturer, silage wagons are a natural progression for Fliegl.
Claas are now devoting their resources to building up the tractor side of the business while also racing to keep ahead in an ever more sophisticated harvester market.
Silage wagons, although harvesting machines, are somewhat stagnant in terms of market share and development potential so the decision by Claas appears to be quite sensible in hindsight.
A loader for attachments
As for loaders, there is a growing market for them as modern tractors become too big for the farmyard.
There is little point in struggling on with a 150hp tractor and loader in a situation much more suited to a smaller, dedicated machine.
Fliegl already produce a wide range of buckets and attachments for materials handlers, so producing a loader itself might be considered a natural step forward.
Yet, in doing so, Fliegl does risk being accused of competing with its customers, which is rarely a sound business move.
Reports from Germany suggest that although this first model is a copy of the Kaweco loader, further machines will be developed to Fliegl’s own specifications and design parameters, proffering the intriguing possibility that they may be built to match the implements rather than the other way round.
