The Bauer Group has announced the death of senior manager Heimo Wiesinger, Sales Director, in a car accident.

The accident, which occurred near Port Elizabeth, South Africa, also took the life of Olivier André (47), Area Sales Manager, who was responsible for Africa and France.

Adrian Tindall, Bauer UK & Ireland sales manager said: "We were shocked to hear this terrible news and my sincere condolences go to the victims' families and friends. Heimo was an energetic sales director who achieved great success in markets around the World and was enthusiastic about bringing more of Bauer's slurry and irrigation technologies to British and Irish farmers. He will be greatly missed."

Heimo Wiesinger (61) began his career at Bauer immediately after graduating in 1974 from the Polytechnic for Mechanical Engineering in Graz, Austria. By 1977, he managed the first major project in Tunisia and in 1993 was appointed Sales Director.

Mr Wiesinger participated in a management buyout of Bauer in 2003 and thereafter - as a director and shareholder - worked to advance the company's international expansion beyond Europe, with particular success in South Africa, Australia, the USA, China and Brazil. Thanks in no small part to his dedication, Bauer has been considered for many years a world market leader in irrigation machinery and waste management.