140 years of AMAZONE

A successful family history

Heinrich Dreyer founded his company in 1883: “H. Dreyer Fabrik für landw. Maschinen und Geräte in Gaste, Post Hasbergen bei Osnabrück”. In the process, Heinrich took over the workshop, which had already been in family ownership for three generations as a joinery and wheelwright's workshop, from his father. In addition to other agricultural implements, Heinrich‘s ancestors also built grain cleaners – so-called winnowers – by hand. The Dreyer family had already supplied a grain cleaning machine to the city of Osnabrück in around 1780, i.e. 100 years before the actual foundation of the company. This historical implement is now in the factory museum and is evidence of an unbroken tradition of the Dreyer family and the AMAZONE company which goes back more than 240 years.

Heinrich Dreyer built up the series production of his machines with his two half-brothers, Johann and Friederich, and an apprentice. His newly designed grain cleaning machine, which he presented at the DLG Exhibition after a few years, was the only one of its kind to receive a medal. Heinrich then gave it the name "AMAZONE". Six years later, he had already sold 2,000 of them and then 3,000 more after another two years.  

From 1915 he called his company "AMAZONENWERK", a name which was later to become well-known in many parts of the world. He built ploughs and later also cultivators to extend his product range. Potato sorting machines, which played a prominent role in later years, were added in 1910. Finally, Heinrich developed a new kind of fertiliser spreader from 1915, which enabled him take over as market leader in the 1930s.  

Heinrich transferred the company to his sons Dipl. Ing. Heinrich Dreyer and Erich Dreyer, a commercial administrator, in 1936. Heinrich took over the development and Erich the sales and distribution. The war ended the successful development. Erich became a soldier and fell in 1945 and Heinrich Dreyer was forced to manage the company alone, as had been the case during the war. We are indebted to him for the construction of our subsidiary plant in Hude in 1956. When he also died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 57 in November, his death presented the company and his successors with massive problems.  

The third generation of the Dreyer family then followed with two grandsons of the founder: Dr. Heinz Dreyer and his cousin Dipl. Eng. Klaus Dreyer. Heinz took over the further development of the product range and Klaus the production and sales. Amongst other things, Heinz developed the AMAZONE ZA twin disc fertiliser spreader and the AMAZONE D4 seed drill, both of which were very successful.

Sales increased, with the result that further production locations in Forbach (France) and Leipzig were added. Sales locations also followed in Harworth (Great Britain) and Méré (France).  

The production range also continued to expand over the years: potato harvesters, seed drills, manure spreaders, crop protection sprayers, soil tillage systems, precision seeders and ultimately even groundcare machinery. The company abandoned potato harvesters, sorters and manure spreaders from 1965 and concentrated on fertiliser spreaders, seed drills and PTO-driven soil tillage systems. After entering into plant protection in 1969, the product range was expanded and concentrated on “modern technology for crop production”, a core area which has remained so to this day.  

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The 4th generation then joined AMAZONEN-WERKE in 1999 with Dipl.-Eng. Christian Dreyer and his great cousin, Dr. Justus Dreyer. The owners also shared the sales and development tasks here. The story of success has continued in conjunction with an expert management team. In the meantime, there are nine production plants and eleven sales locations worldwide. In addition, an international sales network with trading partners and more than 70 importers is in place, with the result that exports make up 80% of the business. AMAZONE is proud that is continuing to make history with its 2,500 employees and sales which have passed the three-quarter billion mark.