It says something of the present state of the machinery trade that Amazone taking satisfaction from a drop in sales of only 10.4% in 2024, compared with the previous year, is heralded as good news.

The big three tractor manufacturers have all reported major declines in sales far in excess of this figure, and there is much talk of other implement companies also suffering to a greater extent.

The Amazone Group achieved a record-high of €852 million in 2023 and, despite the dip in sales last year, the company's market performance remained above the industry average, and it was able to maintain its global staffing level at around 2,500.

The group's strong export performance, which accounted for 80% of total sales, was led by the French, Polish, Spanish, and Chinese markets doing particularly well.

South America is often cited by manufacturers as a growth area and Amazone's acquisition of the Brazilian fertiliser spreader specialist MP Agro is expected to enable further growth in the region for the company.

Despite the economic headwinds, Amazone increased its expenditure on research and development, and was recognised as Germany's most innovative medium-sized company in 2024 by one media outlet.

The company believes that focusing on digital precision agriculture and customised technologies for part-area, band and spot applications will enable it to overcome both the ecological and economic challenges faced in farming.

Amazone is also continuing to invest in the expansion of its production capacities, in addition to its warehouse facilities and the outdoor storage space at Leipzig, which are currently being significantly expanded.

A state-of-the-art training centre for crop protection machinery and other large-scale equipment will be built this year at its Altmoorhausen facility.

The company said this project represents an important step forward in the Amazone Academy, further developing the specialist skills of its distribution network.

The company also recognises the importance of ensuring that increasingly complex agricultural machines and processes are supported with better advice and training to ensure a high level of customer service and farmer satisfaction.