Schmotzer transfers hoeing technology range to Amazone

As of January 1st, 2019, the company Maschinenfabrik Schmotzer GmbH will transfer its range of hoes to the Amazone Group. As a manufacturer of agricultural and groundcare machinery, Amazone again widens its product portfolio with the addition of hoeing technology. The range of hoes will continue to be manufactured at their location in Bad Windsheim. All employees will remain with the newly founded Schmotzer Hacktechnik GmbH & Co. KG and become part of the Amazone Group. Schmotzer Hacktechnik will carry out all sales and service activities as before and the implements will continue to be sold under the Schmotzer label.

Mr. Ferdinand Wahl, longstanding managing partner of Maschinenfabrik Schmotzer GmbH, will stay affiliated with the new company and will continue to have an active role.

Hoeing technology on the upward trend worldwide
Amazone Directors, Christian Dreyer and Dr. Justus Dreyer, regard the takeover of the Schmotzer hoeing technology as an important step in the continuing development of Amazone’s core competence in crop care. “The hoe is experiencing a renaissance especially in the large farming countries. It has rather lived in the shadows outside of organic agriculture but is now being viewed once again as an important tool in farming today. Apart from mechanical weed control, other positive aspects of hoeing such as soil structure improvement, root growth and the mobilisation of nutrients are just as relevant”, state the Directors.

Schmotzer has built hoes since 1922. A changed awareness in agriculture has led to a continuous growth in this product range for years. “I’m glad to have found in Amazone a partner who will be able to assist and further develop this sector”, Ferdinand Wahl points out.

Camera and steering systems improve work rates
Ferdinand Wahl explains the reasons that have prevented a broad breakthrough in hoeing technology in recent decades. “While the agricultural benefits of organic farming are already being used intensively in conventional agriculture, labour and other cost-related disadvantages have slowed down the use of hoeing systems considerably. Thanks to technical advances that have become practical only in recent years, such as the combination of a hoe with camera and steering systems, it is now possible to achieve a better output at a significantly more competitive cost per hectare”.

Integrated plant production has great potential
Christian and Dr. Justus Dreyer outlined the perspective from Amazone’s point of view: “To be certain, we see a huge potential for hoe technology in integrated crop production which is gaining more and more importance worldwide. The combination of hoe technology with liquid fertiliser alongside targeted, or even selective, application of plant protection chemicals during the same working process opens up further possibilities for the streamlining the practice of optimisation in agriculture. In this machinery segment we also want to take over the leadership in innovation”.

The parent company:
The Amazone Group has achieved a consolidated turnover of €457 million in the 2017 financial year and has around 1,850 employees, 130 of which are trainees. The proportion going for export amounts to 80 % of turnover. In 2016 Amazone considerably enlarged both its product programme and production capacities with the takeover of the plough production company from Vogel & Noot in Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary.