Köckerling

Köckerling is a German industrial family business and manufacturer of agricultural machinery, headquartered in Verl in the Ostwestfalen region of North Rhine-Westphalia. The company specializes in equipment for ploughless soil cultivation and seeding, with products used primarily in mulch tillage, direct seeding, and organic farming. Its machines are sold internationally, with exports to Western and Eastern Europe accounting for roughly half of total turnover as of 2010. The origins of the company trace back to a blacksmith's shop established by a master blacksmith Köckerling in Rietberg-Varensell in 1883. In the second generation, Arnold Köckerling took over the forge in 1919 and expanded it, already producing mounted ploughs, harrows, and other soil cultivation implements. On 1 January 1955, the merchant Heinrich Köckerling and the engineer Friedrich Köckerling founded Gebrüder Köckerling OHG in Verl. Initially, the company built seedbed combinations and hoeing machines. In 1955, the brothers introduced their first series-ready soil cultivation implements: the multi-purpose implement "Super 2/53" and the cultivator harrow "Ackerfreund". Over the decades, Köckerling shifted its focus toward minimal soil cultivation and later specialized in ploughless soil cultivation. In 1968, the "Bestell Minimat" marked the first step toward minimal tillage by combining a mounted plough and a seed drill. In 1982, the product range was expanded to include grassland care with the "Herbamat" drill for grassland renewal without ploughing, followed by a grassland harrow still produced today as the "Grasmaster". In 1990, the company presented the pneumatic seed drill series "AT" with working widths up to six meters, suitable for both mulch and direct seeding. In 1996, the mulch seed cultivator "Vario" was developed, earning the company a strong reputation. A new production hall was added in Verl in 2000, and in 2018 a new production site was opened in Lippling, a district of Delbrück, where painting and final assembly take place. Today, Köckerling is led by Christiane Köckerling and Dirk Pollmeier and employs around 220 people in Germany and France. The French subsidiary Köckerling France SAS, based in Essay, was established in 2002. The company remains a family-owned industrial enterprise, emphasizing practical proximity to farmers, craftsmanship tradition, and continuous innovation in soil cultivation technology.

The history of Köckerling begins in 1883, when a master blacksmith named Köckerling established a forge in Rietberg-Varensell. In 1919, in the second generation, Arnold Köckerling took over the forge and expanded it until his retirement. During this period, the workshop already produced mounted ploughs, harrows, and other soil cultivation implements. On 1 January 1955, the merchant Heinrich Köckerling and the engineer Friedrich Köckerling founded Gebrüder Köckerling OHG in Verl. Initially, the company manufactured seedbed combinations and hoeing machines. In the same year, the brothers presented their first series-ready soil cultivation implements: the multi-purpose implement "Super 2/53" and the cultivator harrow "Ackerfreund". After various further developments, in 1968 the "Bestell Minimat" marked the first step toward minimal soil cultivation. By combining a mounted plough and a seed drill, it was possible to save unnecessary passes and changeover times while protecting soil structure ("conservation tillage"). In 1982, Köckerling expanded its range toward grassland care. With the "Herbamat" drill, ploughless grassland renewal became possible. Later, a grassland harrow followed, which is still produced today as the "Grasmaster". In 1990, Köckerling responded to increasing demands for performance and efficiency in seeding technology with the introduction of the pneumatic seed drill series "AT". With working widths of up to six meters, both mulch seeding and direct seeding were no problem. With increasing production expansion, in 2000 the manufacturing facility in Verl was supplemented with a new production hall. Since then, Köckerling has further specialized its product program in ploughless soil cultivation and made a name for itself especially with the mulch seed cultivator "Vario", developed in 1996. In 2018, the company opened a new production site in Lippling, a district of Delbrück. This site handles painting and final assembly of the machines. In 2002, the French subsidiary Köckerling France SAS was established with its seat in Essay. The export business, particularly to Western and Eastern Europe, accounts for about half of total turnover (as of 2010). The company is led by Christiane Köckerling and Dirk Pollmeier and employs around 220 people in Germany and France. The company remains a family-owned industrial enterprise, emphasizing practical proximity to farmers, decades of experience in soil cultivation, and the courage to pursue new solutions.

• 2018

  New production site opened in Lippling, a district of Delbrück, for painting and final assembly.

• 2002

  French subsidiary Köckerling France SAS established in Essay.

• 2000

  New production hall added at the Verl manufacturing facility.

• 1996

  Development of the mulch seed cultivator "Vario".

• 1990

  Introduction of the pneumatic seed drill series "AT" with working widths up to six meters.

• 1982

  Expansion into grassland care with the "Herbamat" drill; later followed by the "Grasmaster" harrow.

• 1968

  "Bestell Minimat" marks the first step toward minimal soil cultivation.

• 1955

  Gebrüder Köckerling OHG founded in Verl by Heinrich and Friedrich Köckerling; first series-ready implements "Super 2/53" and "Ackerfreund" introduced.

• 1919

  Arnold Köckerling takes over the forge in the second generation and expands it.

• 1883

  Master blacksmith Köckerling establishes a forge in Rietberg-Varensell.

Specialist in ploughless soil cultivation and seeding technology for mulch tillage, direct seeding, and organic farming, with a strong focus on practical proximity to farmers and craftsmanship tradition.

• Super 2/53

  Multi-purpose implement, first series-ready soil cultivation implement from 1955.

• Ackerfreund

  Cultivator harrow, first series-ready soil cultivation implement from 1955.

• Bestell Minimat

  Combination of mounted plough and seed drill, introduced in 1968 for minimal soil cultivation.

• Herbamat

  Grassland drill for ploughless grassland renewal, introduced in 1982.

• Grasmaster

  Grassland harrow, still in production.

• AT series

  Pneumatic seed drill series introduced in 1990, working widths up to six meters, suitable for mulch and direct seeding.

• Vario

  Mulch seed cultivator developed in 1996, a flagship product.

1. 1Köckerling Landmaschinenfabrikkoeckerling.de
2. 2Köckerlingwikidata.org
3. 3Köckerlingde.wikipedia.org