Hahnbach discovers the future of agriculture at Horsch Maschinen!

Hahnbach discovers the future of agriculture at Horsch Maschinen!

The Hahnbach fruit and horticultural association visited Horsch Maschinen GmbH at Sitzenhof near Schwandorf in October 2025. Christian Beyreuther, a representative of the company, informed the visitors about the current status and developments in agricultural machinery production. Horsch Maschinen GmbH is an international company that employs 3,300 people worldwide and generates sales of around 1.3 billion euros.

The company is one of the largest manufacturers of machines for soil cultivation, seed technology and crop protection. Over 200 million spare parts can be shipped in Sitzenhof in a modular and variable manner, with overnight shipping also being possible in many cases. The operating area covers an impressive 30 hectares, which increases production capacity enormously.

Technological advances and product range

During the visit, the members of the fruit and horticultural association had the opportunity to view historical large-scale technology such as the seed extractor, the Terra Trac, the flat cultivator and the PD 12. In addition, information was provided about other locations in Ronneburg and Landau an der Isar, their software developments, marketing and a demo garden.

Horsch Maschinen GmbH has made a name for itself particularly with its precision seed drill, the Horsch Maestro. This model is used worldwide for sowing a wide variety of crops such as corn, rapeseed, beets, soybeans and sunflowers. During customer visits and field support, the company collected valuable feedback on the use and experiences of its products, which was documented in various videos. Information about this can be found on the company's website, which provides further details about its product range Horsh.

Current challenges in the agricultural machinery industry

The agricultural machinery industry is an essential part of the agricultural economy in Germany, which is expected to generate sales of around 14.9 billion euros in 2024. This industry is not only characterized by increased material costs, which have led to price increases for agricultural machinery, but also sees farmers' increased willingness to invest in new technologies. These investments usually result from good producer prices for agricultural products. However, dependence on agricultural subsidies, particularly for smaller farms, remains a key problem.

In addition, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous mechanisms is becoming increasingly important to combat the shortage of skilled workers and increase efficiency in agriculture. Around 30,000 new tractors are registered in Germany every year, with the Fendt and John Deere brands leading the way. Fendt, which has been part of AGCO since the 1990s, has a market share of around 25 percent for new registrations, while Deutz and Claas are also established agricultural machinery manufacturers that also have a significant number of newly registered tractors Statista.

Finally, the chairman of the fruit and horticultural association, Josef Moosburger, thanked Christian Beyreuther with a small gift in the form of “garden treasures” for the informative tour and the insights into the company.