Despite the extreme weather conditions in some countries during the second half of last year, the Amazone Group saw its turnover rise to a record €481 million.
Up 5.3% on 2017’s €457 million, exports, which accounted for around 80% of last year’s results, developed well in the important countries of France, Hungary, Germany, Japan, Spain and the UK and Ireland, and remained stable in the important Polish and Russian markets.
Amazone invests more than 7.0% of turnover in the R+D, and managing directors Christian and Justus Dreyer reckon 2018’s good results are partly due to the popularity of the flurry of new kit launched at the 2017 Agritechnica.
This year is an Agritechnica one and the two brothers are confident of using the important event as a stepping stone to further growth sales. As an early hint of things to come we are told not only expect new large machine developments at the Hannover fairgrounds in November, but also innovative solutions for smaller and medium-sized working widths, particularly with crop sprayers and fertiliser spreaders.
Looking ahead, many farms in Central Europe are still feeling the effects of the 2018 drought, but Amazone reckons that the general investment climate is still good and the medium and long-term trend remains positive. Staff numbers at the Amazone Group currently stand at around 1,900 (includes 130 trainees).
