At home in every field

For 30 years Agrartechnik Vertrieb Sachsen GmbH has been an established name in agricultural engineering. The main focus is on the sale and servicing of agricultural machinery from well-known manufacturers such as New Holland, JCB, Horsch and Krone. What began as a one-man business has developed into a medium-sized company with 150 employees. HANSA‑FLEX has accompanied this success story from the very beginning.

Typical for the region of Saxony are its extremely large agricultural enterprises, which can be traced back to the former state-run farming cooperatives. Bernhard Bertelsmeier was quick to recognise the opportunities offered by German reunification and in 1990 founded his first base for dealing in agricultural machinery in Ebersbach, at that time with only one employee in premises rented from the local agricultural cooperative. From the very beginning the agricultural machinery supplier relied on close proximity to its customers, which resulted in the establishment of further branches in the region. Today the company has around 150 employees at eight locations in Saxony and Brandenburg, and is managed in the second generation by the founder’s two sons, Dr. Marcus Bertelsmeier and Ralph Bertelsmeier. The company slogan “At home in every field” is reflected in its product and service portfolio: “The region’s main crops are cereals, maize and rape, in addition to livestock. Our portfolio is correspondingly diverse, ranging from tractors and combine harvesters and a wide variety of attachments to feeding systems and milking machines,” explains managing partner Ralph Bertelsmeier.

HANSA‑FLEX is also represented in the region in the second generation. “I grew up with HANSA‑FLEX, so to speak. My father helped set up the first HANSA‑FLEX branch in eastern Germany in Demitz-Thumitz,” recalls Falk Böttger, who as Regional Manager is now also responsible for Agrartechnik Sachsen. The cooperation was almost inevitable and the fact that it has been in existence for 30 years is no coincidence. The two companies have developed together, with their business relationships becoming correspondingly more extensive and complex over time. It all began in classic style with hose lines and connection equipment, followed by pipelines, hydraulic cylinders and aggregates. Today HANSA‑FLEX is responsible for supplying the customer’s entire hydraulics requirements. “HANSA‑FLEX is very familiar with the needs of agricultural engineering. This can be seen, for example, in the fact that manufacturers such as Horsch also rely on HANSA‑FLEX hydraulic lines as original equipment,” comments Customer Service specialist Dr. Steffen Wöbcke.

Whether it’s working the soil, sowing seed, bringing in the harvest, transporting often heavy loads, processing vegetable and animal products or even in indoor operations with automated feeding systems - hydraulics has become an integral part of agricultural engineering. Whereas in the past the focus was often on mere power, today applying this power in precise dosages plays a central role. Hydraulics makes it possible to variably control and regulate the movement and performance of attachments. The hydraulic systems of tractors are correspondingly versatile and powerful, even allowing the simultaneous connection of several front and rear implements. A further area of application is the drive of the tractors themselves. For example, New Holland offers an electro-hydraulically operated steering system with autopilot function that enables an accuracy of +/- 2.0 cm, which significantly increases efficiency in agricultural operations.

As varied as the fields of application of agricultural engineering are, they all have one thing in common: in service operations fast response times are essential. “Every minute counts when you are feeding animals or bringing in the harvest. Extensive downtimes such as with car repairs are simply inconceivable in agricultural engineering,” explains Dr. Wöbcke. The close-knit network of Agrartechnik Sachsen branches guarantees both short distances and fast reaction times. If a machine can’t be repaired within a short time window, a replacement is provided immediately. The agricultural engineering specialist has a pool of over 200 machines for this purpose and even keeps combine harvesters and feed mixers on hand – a unique service in the industry. HANSA‑FLEX is in demand when there is a problem with the hydraulics. “We offer a 24/7 standby service, and not only during the harvest period. Operations with floodlights directly in the field are just as much part of our business as overnight hose production at our branches,” reports Böttger.

After 30 years of shared growth Bertelsmeier and Böttger are looking forward to the future with great optimism. Both sides appreciate the fact that in spite of the considerable development of both companies, the relationship has always remained personal and straightforward. “The more noiseless the cooperation, the better it is,” is how Bertelsmeier sums up the partnership. The agricultural technology specialist was recently named one of Saxony’s “Top 3 enterprises of the year 2020”. For the company the future also means expanding its foreign business in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary as well as investing in training, with all of its apprentices having a good chance of a permanent job after successfully completing their apprenticeship.