GRIMME ist ein 1861 gegründetes Familienunternehmen.

160 Jahre GRIMME

Harvesting Success Together!

In 1861, my great-grandfather, Franz Carl Heinrich Grimme, took over a forge in my home town of Damme (Germany), which had already been founded 210 years ago in 1811 by my ancestors. In the meantime, however, the forge was leased out for 13 years. My grandfather expanded the small business to include the trade with iron goods and agricultural machinery.

The first brands included Fendt, Lanz, Porsche and Niemeyer. My father, who was also called Franz, took over the company in 1930 and from the beginning experimented with machines to make the potato harvest easier. With two mechanics working together, he gave the starting signal for today's GRIMME Landmaschinenfabrik (the agricultural machinery factory) in 1936. Even before the Second World War, up to 1,500 windrowers could be sold every year.

In 1966, the "Europa"- series was developed and this single-row potato harvester became the market leader in Germany in that very same year. At the same time, my father decided that we would focus 100% on potatoes, unlike many other agricultural manufacturers who massively expanded their product range. That was an absolute stroke of luck for us! We were able to fully transfer our passion to our products and still do today.

In 1969, the first self-propelled potato harvester was launched, not comparable with today's technology, but a real step into the future, as we know today. I joined the company in 1970 and was allowed to take over the management from my father in 1980. This was a very interesting and dynamic time for me. As a result of this, we were able to initiate and shape a lot of things for the company. Today, we are present with our innovative machines in over 120 countries around the world, something I would had never have imagined back in the days of the "Iron Curtain", which separated West Germany from Eastern Europe.

In 2016 my son Christoph and in 2019 my son Philipp joined the company. It is a great pleasure for my wife and for me to see how both of them continue the future course of the GRIMME Group with great commitment and the will to take on substantial responsibility. Of course, each of them with his own accents and his own ideas, and we will actively support them in this.

160 years of company history, a long time over which much has happened. Five generations of the family have shaped this company until now. Over 2700 employees work every day to develop and provide economical products and solutions for our customers. I am very proud of this and thank my team for this high level of commitment.

I would also like to thank all our customers, sales partners, business associates and suppliers. Without cooperation in a spirit of partnership, an anniversary such as 160 years of GRIMME would be simply unimaginable.

On behalf of the Grimme family

From the forge to the first machines:
1861 - 1945

1861: Foundation of the Grimme village forge in Damme (Germany).
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The founder of the forge, Franz Carl Heinrich Grimme (1835 -1917).
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The second generation: Franz August Grimme (1869 - 1940) and his wife Agnes (1880 - 1974).
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1906: Franz August Grimme forges the door fittings for the cathedral of Damme.
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Three generations of the Grimme family in one picture (taken around 1910).
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In 1930 Franz Grimme (he was later called Franz Grimme "senior") took over the company and founded the GRIMME Landmaschinenfabrik (GRIMME agricultural machinery factory) in 1936.
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1933: Aerial view of the town of Damme, a red circle indicates the Grimme forge.
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1936: Prototype of a wheel-driven potato harvester. Franz Grimme senior can be seen second from the right.
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1936: Employee of the first hour with the first product, the windrower called "Unerreicht" (Remark: brilliant marketing name: "The Unreachable").
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1937: The first harvester designed as a horse-driven machine, called "Komet", is manufactured.
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1937: Rotating spinning wheel- harvester, called "Komet" and windrower "the unreachable".
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1938: An advertisement in the local daily press "Oldenburgische Volkszeitung" for LANZ tractors (Remark: LANZ became later a brand of John Deere).
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1939: GRIMME employees in front of the ironmongery shop.
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1940: Delivery of the rotating spinning wheel-harvesters, in the background the old forge.
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1940: Demonstration in Tarmstedt near Bremen.
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The company's development is picking up speed:
1946 - 1965

In 1949, the horse-trailed windrower, Type GV 49, is introduced.
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1950: GRIMME at the exhibition of the German Agricultural Society (DLG) in Frankfurt.
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1951: Company outing with the staff to Hamburg.
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In 1952, the first manure spreader, called "Universal" is built.
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1955: The company site in Damme (Germany).
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1955: The PTO-driven harvester for potatoes and beet, called ZV 55.
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1956: The price list included exactly three products.
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1956: The first potato bunker harvester, a single-row machine, called "Universal".
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1960: The price list already includes seven products.
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In 1961, a hay tedder is developed and the patents are later sold to Deutz-Fahr.
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In 1962, a large production and assembly hall is built.
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Expanding market leadership:
1966 -1979

Business and parts of assembly are also maintained in the old forge until the 1970s.
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1966: GRIMME becomes market leader with the potato harvester called "Europa Standard".
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In 1967, the first two-row bunker-harvester followed.
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In 1968, the first assembly hall is built on the current factory premises.
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In 1969, the combination of a standard tractor with a proven harvester concept became the first self-propelled potato harvester.
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1970: Franz Grimme senior and his son testing a trailed two-row harvester.
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In 1970, GRIMME presents the first self-propelled harvester at the exhibition of the German Agricultural Society (DLG).
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Franz Grimme joins the company in 1970 at the age of 24.
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1970: This year also marked the launch of the harvester, called "Europa Super" with its 1.5 ton bunker. It is the big brother of the "Europa Standard".
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Cutting machines for grass-silage are manufactured for a short time in 1972.
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In 1974, the first two-row self-propelled harvester with an engine of 80 resp. 100 hp was launched.
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In 1974, the harvester, called "Europa Standette" with 1 ton bunker goes into series production.
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In 1976, the follow-up to the "Europa Standard", the harvester, type HL, was launched.
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In 1978, the first machine demonstrations take place in the North American market.
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In 1979, the capacity of the plant at Damme was massively expanded.
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Handover from father to son:
1980 -1999

Franz Grimme senior hands over the management of the company to his son Franz Grimme in 1980.
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1980 entry into bed-cultivation of potatoes, by developing destoners for soil separation.
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Introduced in 1982 and successfully manufactured for over 20 years: The two-row harvester type DL 1500.
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1985 Extensive plant expansion in Damme.
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In 1985 the first subsidiary was established: GRIMME North America.
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1985 Market launch of the first windrowers.
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The bestseller: In 1985, the popular two-row bunker harvester, type DR 1500, was launched.
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In 1987 Franz Grimme founds the company INTERNORM Kunststofftechnik (Plastics engineering) in Damme.
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1988: Market launch of the first haulm topper for potatoes.
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In 1988, the offset trailed single-row harvetser, type SL 650 was introduced.
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The first harvester based on the SE principle, the SE 75-20 (1991).
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The two-row self-propelled elevator harvester, type DSL 1700 (1992).
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1995: First digitally controlled elevator harvester, GRIMME GZ 1700.
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1995 Foundation of GRIMME UK at Swineshead.
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In 1995, the development and production of sieving webs and conveyers becomes independent, using the brand RICON.
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1995 GRIMME introduces digital technology for machine control and operation.
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1998 the fourth generation of self-propelled potato harvesters, the SF 150-60.
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1999 Introduction of potato planting, cultivation and storing technology.
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1999 GRIMME is awarded the silver medal of the German Agricultural Society (DLG) for its 3 bed destoner.
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The first four-row self-propelled harvester, type SF 3000, launched in 1999 with an engine of 326 hp.
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Full steam ahead into the new millennium:
2000 - 2021

In 2000, the 2,000 m² the TECHNICOM exhibition centre was officially opened.
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2001: The self-propelled four-row harvester TECTRON 415 with 15-tons bunker is presented.
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GRIMME France was founded in 2002. In 2007, the new building was constructed in Feuchy near Arras (France).
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2003 GRIMME starts to market beet technology with the self-propelled six-row harvester MAXTRON 620.
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2003: Acquisition of the agricultural machinery manufacturer SPUDNIK in Blackfoot (Idaho, USA).
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2003 New building of the company INTERNORM at Damme (Germany).
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GRIMME RUS: 2005 GRIMME opened a Russian subsidiary. In 2008, the new building was constructed in Detchino/Kaluga.
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2007 is the year in which the first self-propelled harvester VARITRON is launched on the market.
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2008 Foundation of GRIMME Scandinavia with the former importer Hylleberg in Rodkaersbro (Danmark).
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Market introduction of the new 6-row beet harvester, the REXOR -series.
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In 2011, both the assembly plant for self-propelled machinery and the new plant for webs and conveying technology (RICON) are being constructed.
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In 2012 GRIMME group took over the beet manufacturer KLEINE in Salzkotten (Germany).
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The "Grimme Hof" is a training and experimental farm.
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For more than 10 years, the GRIMME Academy has been providing the best conditions for training.
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In 2013, GRIMME receives the Gold Medal award from the German Agricultural Society (DLG) for its pneumatic separator AirSep.
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In 2013, the Danish manufacturer ASA-LIFT was acquired.
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2014 GRIMME develops its new digital platform : Presentation of the comprehensive GRIMME App including a machine configurator.
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2015 Presentation of the mechanical precision seeder MATRIX for beets, chicory and canola.
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2017 Market launch of the harvester series EVO with up to 9 tonnes bunker capacity.
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In 2017, Christoph Grimme founded the start-up Schmiede.ONE at Dusseldorf (Germany).
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2017: The largest road-legal potato harvester, the four-row VENTOR 4150 with 15-tons bunker is presented.
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GRIMME China: In 2018, the 12,500 m² factory in Tianjin was opened.
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In 2018, GRIMME Belgium moved into a new building of 2,900 m² at Roeselare (Belgium).
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Since 2019, GRIMME has been distributing precision seeders from the British manufacturer Stanhay.
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The GRIMME webshop for GRIMME Original Parts is being presented for the first time in 2019.
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2019 Presentation of the concept study for a sweet potato harvester, called Harvey.ONE.
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In 2019, the test track in the Niedersachsenpark (industrial estate, close to Rieste, Germany) was put into operation.
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The main plant in Damme (Germany) covers an area of 15 hectares.
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The fourth and the fifth generation: Philipp, Christine, Franz and Christoph Grimme.
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In 1987, the first GRIMME corporate film was made. In keeping with the spirit of the times, it was a very informative film about the origin of the potato and the development of the GRIMME company. You will find more video material about GRIMME on our youtube channel.

Our current product range of GRIMME - SPUDNIK - ASA-LIFT - INTERNORM and RICON

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Imprint

Harvesting Success Together!

From the forge to the first machines: 1861 - 1945

The company's development is picking up speed:1946 - 1965

Expanding market leadership:1966 -1979

Handover from father to son:1980 -1999

From the forge to the first machines:
1861 - 1945

The company's development is picking up speed:
1946 - 1965

Expanding market leadership:
1966 -1979

Handover from father to son:
1980 -1999