In 1883, when Heinrich Dreyer founded the company in Gaste near Osnabrück he surely could not have foreseen that Amazone would become the worldwide leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery for intelligent crop production. In 2008, on the occasion of their 125th anniversary, Amazone directors Christian Dreyer and Dr. Justus Dreyer would like to thank the customers and all other people who have contributed to the success of the company. Both directors want to face the challenges of the future single-mindedly and with clear conceptions.
The founder, Heinrich Dreyer, started initially in 1883 with the production of grain cleaners, followed later on by ploughs, cultivators, potato sorters and in 1915 the first fertiliser spreaders. Very early on Heinrich Dreyer already realised: "We have to go out into the world", and so he expanded the sale of Amazone products abroad. The result was, even by 1906, that the first grain cleaners had been sold to Valparaiso in Chile and thus the foundations were laid for the strong export activity of today's Amazone Group.
Heinrich Dreyer's sons, grandsons and great-grandsons have continued the success story right up until today. In 1942 the first potato harvesting machinery was introduced into the market, in 1949 seed drills, and in 1959 manure spreaders. The nineteen sixties saw the ZA twin disc fertiliser spreaders and the D4 seed drill become real hits in the market and these two products enabled Amazone subsequently to conquer the market leadership.
1967 was the start into soil tillage and in 1970 Amazone built the first crop protection sprayers. In the area of soil tillage, Amazone was the first manufacturer to develop PTO shaft driven soil tillage implements that could be combined with a seed drill, at first the reciprocating power harrow, then the rotary cultivator and the rotary harrow. Later on, after German reunification, in addition, all sorts of passive soil tillage machinery were introduced into the market.
During the course of history, over and over again, difficult times had to be managed where, for a short period, even the production was stopped. But in spite of world wars, worldwide economic crises and industry specific economic slowdowns the Dreyer family has managed to constantly expand the company over the generations. Whereas many other manufacturers of agricultural machinery have given up during the past 125 years, or have been taken over, Amazone still is family owned and on a sound course of growth.
Progressive values from the past
Today, the active and passive soil tillage technology, seed drills and precision air planters, fertiliser spreaders and crop protection sprayers make up the Amazone main product palette. In Germany and many other countries Amazone within their fields of competence have advanced to the position of longstanding market leader. Amazone is considered to be the worldwide leading manufacturer for complete system chains based around intelligent crop production. Additional portfolios are the production of machinery for park and green area maintenance and for winter street service and in addition the design and erection of multi-purpose storage halls.
In the last financial year 2007 the Amazone Group operated from seven factory sites and employed in total more than 1,500 people. The total turnover was 290 mio Euros - a staggering increase of 20 % compared with last year, and in 2007 the export share reached nearly 80 %.
Still today, the headquarters and main factory of the Amazone Group is Gaste, part of the rural Hasbergen commune, near Osnabrück. The shares of the company are held totally by the two Dreyer families. Whereas Prof. h.c. (SAA Samara) Dr. Dr. h.c. Heinz Dreyer and Klaus Dreyer, who directed the fate of the group for more than 50 years, are still active in the management, the 4th generation with its two directors Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Christian Dreyer and Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Justus Dreyer has taken the responsibility.
"Our name and the company emblem, the 'Amazon with arrow and bow' symbolise our success in the past and it is this success that we want to continue and to guide the enterprise 'focussed towards the future', the two directors declare on the occasion of the 125th anniversary.
"At the same time we would like to say a big thank you to our ancestors! We intend to uphold the lasting development of the values which they created. However, we also want to thank the members of our families, the customers, the employees, the sales partners and importers, the suppliers and all others who have contributed to the success."
Future "growth in planning"
Intelligent planning and investment for a successful future and not a short-term thinking of profit shall mark the company philosophy, so say the directors. Via a sound financial basis they endeavour to maintain independence as far as possible for future growth. and foresee further "growth with moderation" with the objective of a disproportionate expansion of the production capacities. So, the already existing production sites will be continuously expanded by means of modernisation of the production plants and new production and assembly halls. For the site Hude even the erection of a completely new factory on a space of 12 hectares is planned.
Simultaneously Amazone together with their partners in Germany and abroad will focus on a market share for the main products of 20 % in minimum in the most important markets in the world. With these production and market objectives in mind the Amazone group is supposed to achieve a turnover of 500 million Euros/year in the medium term.
By the development of new technologies the aim of the directors is to initially meet the demands of customers and simultaneously to realise the demands of the future right on time. "This way has already been successful in the past, so that today Amazone lies at the top of innovations for agricultural machinery", so says Dr. Justus Dreyer. In the future, in addition, as part of a successful customer service, it is of increasing importance to accompany the machines, especially with technology getting more and more complex, with still further intensive advice services. Therefore, the successful 'Active' programme, which Amazone runs in co-operation with science, consultancy institutions and other agricultural industry sectors will be further expanded. This also includes that in the course of the 125th anniversary celebrations, Amazone has open the new ACTIVE Centre in Gaste, the building for exhibition and training.
Important tasks are also the future optimisation of production and logistic processes and the intensification of quality and service offered. As in the past the matter is also to accept responsibility for the people employed in the company and their families. "On the one hand, it is for us, a question of care and a maintenance of job security. On the other hand we know that the company needs motivated and qualified employees to remain at the cutting edge in the development of new technologies and always to produce optimum quality", director Christian Dreyer explains.
More economy and ecology
With regard to the development of the Amazone machinery programme the directors consider the demands of economy and ecology as the most important challenges. So the Amazone machines to be offered are increasingly found as part of manpower and fuel saving system chains. In order to further optimise the use of production equipment in agriculture and thus, even better, to correspond to the ecological demands, Amazone will, among others, concentrate on the development within the sector of IT-farming, which means the sensible use of electronics. With the aid of GPS technology, software and other instruments the possibilities of the part-area specific operation can be expanded. "With soil tillage", explains Dr. Justus Dreyer, "clearly more fuel for example can be saved by matching intensity to the relevant part areas than by the use of tractors with a lower fuel consumption. At the same time the use of GPS technology saves the environment, helps on quality assurance for food and optimises profitability in agriculture."
Round about the technology for soil tillage the directors intend to expand the successful 3C- Cost-Cutting-Concept. So that, also in the future, one will offer, not only for any site and its specific features, but also for any farm size, the right machinery and systems for the most profitable soil tillage and sowing. For this the important basis is its own test programme in the international arena - always in cooperation with scientific institutes, consultants and agricultural practicians.
Seen worldwide, trends should develop further in the direction of mulch and direct sowing. Because of the population explosion, the increasing prosperity and the increasing demand, for example, for fuel compensation, biogas, etc. will increase the demand for crop production so that also sites with a water shortage and/or bigger erosion problems will also have to be cultivated in future. In the same way the forecasted climate change should increase the demand for water saving production methods. Here, Amazone with their machinery for mulch sowing and direct sowing is already in a strong position.
In addition a future objective is to develop technology in all its competence fields to be operated at higher speed yet with a maintained operational quality ("speed working"). Because the move of towards increasing working widths is limited by legal guidelines, such as road traffic laws. The latest example for the realisation of "speed working" is the EDX precision airplanter which was awarded a gold medal on the Agritechnica 2007. With this machine the acreage output can be increased by up to 50 % without any loss of placement quality. As an actual challenge, both directors also consider the increased cultivation of renewable raw materials. Also in this sector Amazone will develop their machinery solutions accordingly.
Also more flexible and faster in the future
"We intensively endeavour that Amazone is able to serve, also in the future, their customers optimally. Also, in future, we will have to react faster and more flexibly than others " the directors rise to the challenge on the occasion of the 125th anniversary: "This requires on the one hand to meet again and again the actual demands of the customers and to develop innovative technology accordingly. On the other hand, we, at Amazone, will care and maintain slender hierarchies, short and quick ways of decision making, but at the same time also provide the framework for motivated employees, sales partners and suppliers."
The founder, Heinrich Dreyer, started initially in 1883 with the production of grain cleaners, followed later on by ploughs, cultivators, potato sorters and in 1915 the first fertiliser spreaders. Very early on Heinrich Dreyer already realised: "We have to go out into the world", and so he expanded the sale of Amazone products abroad. The result was, even by 1906, that the first grain cleaners had been sold to Valparaiso in Chile and thus the foundations were laid for the strong export activity of today's Amazone Group.
Heinrich Dreyer's sons, grandsons and great-grandsons have continued the success story right up until today. In 1942 the first potato harvesting machinery was introduced into the market, in 1949 seed drills, and in 1959 manure spreaders. The nineteen sixties saw the ZA twin disc fertiliser spreaders and the D4 seed drill become real hits in the market and these two products enabled Amazone subsequently to conquer the market leadership.
1967 was the start into soil tillage and in 1970 Amazone built the first crop protection sprayers. In the area of soil tillage, Amazone was the first manufacturer to develop PTO shaft driven soil tillage implements that could be combined with a seed drill, at first the reciprocating power harrow, then the rotary cultivator and the rotary harrow. Later on, after German reunification, in addition, all sorts of passive soil tillage machinery were introduced into the market.
During the course of history, over and over again, difficult times had to be managed where, for a short period, even the production was stopped. But in spite of world wars, worldwide economic crises and industry specific economic slowdowns the Dreyer family has managed to constantly expand the company over the generations. Whereas many other manufacturers of agricultural machinery have given up during the past 125 years, or have been taken over, Amazone still is family owned and on a sound course of growth.
Progressive values from the past
Today, the active and passive soil tillage technology, seed drills and precision air planters, fertiliser spreaders and crop protection sprayers make up the Amazone main product palette. In Germany and many other countries Amazone within their fields of competence have advanced to the position of longstanding market leader. Amazone is considered to be the worldwide leading manufacturer for complete system chains based around intelligent crop production. Additional portfolios are the production of machinery for park and green area maintenance and for winter street service and in addition the design and erection of multi-purpose storage halls.
In the last financial year 2007 the Amazone Group operated from seven factory sites and employed in total more than 1,500 people. The total turnover was 290 mio Euros - a staggering increase of 20 % compared with last year, and in 2007 the export share reached nearly 80 %.
Still today, the headquarters and main factory of the Amazone Group is Gaste, part of the rural Hasbergen commune, near Osnabrück. The shares of the company are held totally by the two Dreyer families. Whereas Prof. h.c. (SAA Samara) Dr. Dr. h.c. Heinz Dreyer and Klaus Dreyer, who directed the fate of the group for more than 50 years, are still active in the management, the 4th generation with its two directors Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Christian Dreyer and Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Justus Dreyer has taken the responsibility.
"Our name and the company emblem, the 'Amazon with arrow and bow' symbolise our success in the past and it is this success that we want to continue and to guide the enterprise 'focussed towards the future', the two directors declare on the occasion of the 125th anniversary.
"At the same time we would like to say a big thank you to our ancestors! We intend to uphold the lasting development of the values which they created. However, we also want to thank the members of our families, the customers, the employees, the sales partners and importers, the suppliers and all others who have contributed to the success."
Future "growth in planning"
Intelligent planning and investment for a successful future and not a short-term thinking of profit shall mark the company philosophy, so say the directors. Via a sound financial basis they endeavour to maintain independence as far as possible for future growth. and foresee further "growth with moderation" with the objective of a disproportionate expansion of the production capacities. So, the already existing production sites will be continuously expanded by means of modernisation of the production plants and new production and assembly halls. For the site Hude even the erection of a completely new factory on a space of 12 hectares is planned.
Simultaneously Amazone together with their partners in Germany and abroad will focus on a market share for the main products of 20 % in minimum in the most important markets in the world. With these production and market objectives in mind the Amazone group is supposed to achieve a turnover of 500 million Euros/year in the medium term.
By the development of new technologies the aim of the directors is to initially meet the demands of customers and simultaneously to realise the demands of the future right on time. "This way has already been successful in the past, so that today Amazone lies at the top of innovations for agricultural machinery", so says Dr. Justus Dreyer. In the future, in addition, as part of a successful customer service, it is of increasing importance to accompany the machines, especially with technology getting more and more complex, with still further intensive advice services. Therefore, the successful 'Active' programme, which Amazone runs in co-operation with science, consultancy institutions and other agricultural industry sectors will be further expanded. This also includes that in the course of the 125th anniversary celebrations, Amazone has open the new ACTIVE Centre in Gaste, the building for exhibition and training.
Important tasks are also the future optimisation of production and logistic processes and the intensification of quality and service offered. As in the past the matter is also to accept responsibility for the people employed in the company and their families. "On the one hand, it is for us, a question of care and a maintenance of job security. On the other hand we know that the company needs motivated and qualified employees to remain at the cutting edge in the development of new technologies and always to produce optimum quality", director Christian Dreyer explains.
More economy and ecology
With regard to the development of the Amazone machinery programme the directors consider the demands of economy and ecology as the most important challenges. So the Amazone machines to be offered are increasingly found as part of manpower and fuel saving system chains. In order to further optimise the use of production equipment in agriculture and thus, even better, to correspond to the ecological demands, Amazone will, among others, concentrate on the development within the sector of IT-farming, which means the sensible use of electronics. With the aid of GPS technology, software and other instruments the possibilities of the part-area specific operation can be expanded. "With soil tillage", explains Dr. Justus Dreyer, "clearly more fuel for example can be saved by matching intensity to the relevant part areas than by the use of tractors with a lower fuel consumption. At the same time the use of GPS technology saves the environment, helps on quality assurance for food and optimises profitability in agriculture."
Round about the technology for soil tillage the directors intend to expand the successful 3C- Cost-Cutting-Concept. So that, also in the future, one will offer, not only for any site and its specific features, but also for any farm size, the right machinery and systems for the most profitable soil tillage and sowing. For this the important basis is its own test programme in the international arena - always in cooperation with scientific institutes, consultants and agricultural practicians.
Seen worldwide, trends should develop further in the direction of mulch and direct sowing. Because of the population explosion, the increasing prosperity and the increasing demand, for example, for fuel compensation, biogas, etc. will increase the demand for crop production so that also sites with a water shortage and/or bigger erosion problems will also have to be cultivated in future. In the same way the forecasted climate change should increase the demand for water saving production methods. Here, Amazone with their machinery for mulch sowing and direct sowing is already in a strong position.
In addition a future objective is to develop technology in all its competence fields to be operated at higher speed yet with a maintained operational quality ("speed working"). Because the move of towards increasing working widths is limited by legal guidelines, such as road traffic laws. The latest example for the realisation of "speed working" is the EDX precision airplanter which was awarded a gold medal on the Agritechnica 2007. With this machine the acreage output can be increased by up to 50 % without any loss of placement quality. As an actual challenge, both directors also consider the increased cultivation of renewable raw materials. Also in this sector Amazone will develop their machinery solutions accordingly.
Also more flexible and faster in the future
"We intensively endeavour that Amazone is able to serve, also in the future, their customers optimally. Also, in future, we will have to react faster and more flexibly than others " the directors rise to the challenge on the occasion of the 125th anniversary: "This requires on the one hand to meet again and again the actual demands of the customers and to develop innovative technology accordingly. On the other hand, we, at Amazone, will care and maintain slender hierarchies, short and quick ways of decision making, but at the same time also provide the framework for motivated employees, sales partners and suppliers."
