Agria have to date produced well over one million machines and this is how agria came into being. The company was established in the south west of post-war Germany in the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. Like so many things at that time the beginnings of the company were characterised by the lack of rescources but also by pioneering work to make a fresh start.

Erwin Mächtel founded the Möckmühl Machine Factory with his partner and Technical Director, Dr. Ing. Otto Göhler. In 1945 they managed together to re-locate the pre-war production line and material of the Karlsruhe gears factory to the neighbouring town of Ruchsen.

Commencement of the company

In the beginning not a lot of materials were available. The scarce resources were all the more precious. A few trained staff, some selected machines from the former gear factory and a piece of land with fruit trees to operate from. Soon two sheds were erected to allow the production to begin. But neither aircraft parts nor engines were being produced. Toy cars and pipes were being made from the remains of material rescued: phenol resin. The first products then became hand drills, tin closers and poppy seed grinders. Even aluminium left over from aircraft propellers and bearings were being put to civil use.

The first power hoe is born

The requirements and demand of the market (especially of many vine growers in the neighbourhood) encouraged Messrs. Mächtel and Göhler to produce their first powerhoe, a project which carried the name Möckmühl around the world. In many ways the name agria is now synonymous with powerhoe! The agria powerhoe! In 1946/47 the first prototypes of a non-wheeled powerhoe were being constructed with restriction on available metal and rather venturesome test conditions. Soon the wheeled version followed. The specialisation into the manufacturing of machines and attachments for the agriculture and forestry clearly emerged.

The beginning of a success story

The first agria power hoe was created but how can you proceed without money and materials? Time was in favour of agria. The introduction of the German Mark in 1948 and the Marshall Plan improved substantially the economic circumstances.The post-war economic miracle took its course. In 1948 the 100th machine was made in Möckmühl. In 1958 the 100 000th machine was unveiled at the German Agricultural Fair and the then Minister and later Federal President Dr. Lübke congratulated Erwin Mächtel. Today Agria-Werke GmbH looks back its 1 000 000th machine with pride.

70 years agria

Today the Agria-Werke GmbH is one of the leading companies for the manufacturing and sales of machines for soil and green land cultivation as well as maintenance of grounds and paths for the industrial-professional and the private range.

Machines up to 22 HP are built in recently modernised buildings, at four assembly lines and two assembly places. After 65 years of know-how and experience the name agria stands for progress, quality and service.

Agria-Werke - Model 8100 - Weeding Brush - Brochure