The history of GRIMME, an agricultural machinery factory, began with Franz Grimme Sr., a passionate tinkerer who started production in the third generation with four employees. His early work focused on more efficient potato harvesting, with the first product being a row header for horse-drawn wheel harvesters. Within a few years, annual production exceeded 1,500 units, while the blacksmith business and trade in agricultural machinery and household goods continued.

    In 1966, the single-row potato harvester "Europa Standard" marked a breakthrough, establishing GRIMME as the market leader in Germany. This led to a 50% increase in the workforce within two years. The closure of the ore mine in Damme provided GRIMME with skilled workers for further expansion, and the first hall on the current factory premises, now serving as the factory canteen "Kartoffelhaus," was built.

    Franz Grimme, who studied mechanical and industrial engineering, joined the company in 1970 at the age of 24 and worked his way through various positions. In 1980, he took over management from his father when GRIMME had around 350 employees.

    In the mid-1980s, Franz Grimme acquired a small company from Hanover that manufactured polyurethane products. This led to the foundation of INTERNORM Kunststofftechnik in Damme in 1987, which now employs over 330 people and produces parts for potato harvesters and stone collectors.

    The first foreign subsidiary, "GRIMME Potato Harvesters Limited," was founded in the USA (Idaho) in 1988 to coordinate machine sales for North America. Five years later, the first European sales and service company was established in Great Britain.

    From the beginning, GRIMME manufactured screening and conveyor belts in-house, developing unique expertise. High demand led to the founding of RICON, Sieb- und Fördertechnik in Damme in 1995, which is now based in Rieste and employs over 170 people.

In 2003, the family business SPUDNIK in Blackfoot/Idaho, founded in 1956, was acquired. SPUDNIK became the North American market leader in potato technology within a few years and entered the vegetable technology market in 2020. With the acquisition of STC Trailers in 2020, SPUDNIK also manufactures transportation technology. SPUDNIK operates its own sales and service companies in the USA and Canada and employs over 550 people.

    From 2010 to 2025, GRIMME established new sales and service companies worldwide in locations including the USA, Canada, France, Belgium, Ireland, Great Britain, Turkey, Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, South Africa, Brazil, as well as in Uelzen (Lower Saxony) and Langquaid (Bavaria).

    In 2011, Niedersachsenpark became a new location for GRIMME's expansion. A 10,000 m² assembly plant for self-propelled vehicles and a hall of the same size for RICON were built in 2010. In 2018, an approximately 8,000 m² logistics area for RICON was added, and an 800-metre test track was built in 2020.

    In 2013, the Danish family business ASA-LIFT from Sorö, founded in 1936, was acquired. ASA-LIFT is a developer and manufacturer of customized vegetable technology, employing over 120 people, with a focus on agricultural machinery for harvesting carrots, cabbage, green beans, chives, celery, and onions.

In 2016 and 2019, Christoph Grimme and Philipp Grimme, respectively, entered the company in the fifth generation. Both have been managing partners of the group of companies since 2025. Franz and Christine Grimme are members of the Supervisory Board of GRIMME Holding SE.

    In 2017, Christoph Grimme founded schmiede.one in Düsseldorf, an innovation laboratory for the GRIMME Group, where over 30 employees work on digital business models and robotics.

    In 2018, GRIMME opened a 13,000 square meter plant in Tianjin/China, where over 100 employees produce potato technology for the local market.

    In 2019, a joint venture was founded with the Indian family business and agricultural machinery manufacturer Shaktiman. Shaktman-GRIMME manufactures machines for potato growers, especially in emerging markets. In 2023, the joint venture received a DLG silver medal for remarkable further development.

    From 2024 to 2025, GRIMME is launching the largest investment program in its history. This includes building a new office building for 190 employees in Damme, extensively renovating production halls, and expanding the Academy. A used machine center, logistics hall, dispatch center, and a large assembly plant for trailed harvesting technology are being built in Niedersachspark. The existing test track is being extended by 250 meters to over 1,000 meters.

 

Year Founded: 1936

Main Products: Specialized Tractor Implements for Potato, Beet, Vegetables, Smart System

Brand: Grimme

Country of Origin: Germany

Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/GrimmeLandmaschinenfabrik

Website: www.grimme.de

Address: Hunteburger Str. 32, 49401 Damme, Germany

Contact No.: +4954916660

Email: grimme@grimme.de