From 17th to 19th March 2026, a group of growers joined NP Seymour on a trip to Germany to visit the Fendt, ERO and Braun factories. Designed to give something back to customers, the trip also offered a closer look at the manufacturing and assembly of the Fendt tractors they use every day, as well as vital seasonal machinery.
With 20 people in total, including the NP Seymour team, the group brought together growers from East Anglia, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, with a mix of vineyard, orchard and soft fruit businesses.
“Trips like this are about more than just seeing machinery,” said Claire Seymour, Director at NP Seymour. “We wanted to give our customers the opportunity to understand what goes on behind the scenes in the factories, and to meet the people who design and build the equipment. It’s also a great way to bring growers together, share ideas and build relationships across the British fruit industry.”
Day one – ERO Gmbh, Simmern
After landing in Frankfurt, the group travelled on to ERO in Simmern, where the visit began with lunch, followed by a presentation by Area Sales Manager Ralf Licht introducing the company, its history, and an overview of the product portfolio.
The firm, which was founded in 1969 by Herbery Roth and Heinz Erbach, today employs over 240 employees, producing machinery that covers the entire growing season, such as mechanical pruners, canopy management equipment and grape harvesters.
Globally, ERO holds around 15% market share for grape harvesters, and in Germany, this rises to around 80% for both viticultural equipment and harvesters, underlining the strength of their position in their home market.
Heading out on a full tour of the factory, the scale of operations stood out straight away. The purpose-built facility in Simmern, completed in 2018, features 15,500 square metres of production space, designed to support both efficiency and future growth, along with 3,000 square metres of office and exhibition space.
With the new building, ERO has been able to considerably improve the working conditions and also the production quality.
There has been significant investment across the factory floor, from advanced robotics and moveable racking systems to maximise space, through to state-of-the-art shot blasting and powder coating to ensure a long-lasting finish on all ERO products.
Expanded assembly and product storage areas also allow ERO to better serve global markets, working around different growing seasons and machinery demands.
What balanced the investment in technology was a strong focus on people. A dedicated apprenticeship area supports training across ten different trades, reflecting the company’s long-term commitment to bringing young people into the manufacturing industry.
The tour sparked plenty of questions, with growers keen to understand how the machines they use are designed and built.
Those on the trip were particularly interested to learn how much of the production process is kept in-house, with around 80% of all parts fabricated on-site. This now extends beyond manufacturing too, with ERO also developing its own digital software systems for its self-propelled grape harvesters.
These grape harvesters were a particular highlight, with an opportunity to see the new Grapeliner 8000-series being assembled, featuring the new AGCO Power engine. While these machines represent a significant investment, seeing the level of engineering and attention to detail that goes into their production made it clear why.
After ERO, the group travelled to a vineyard and winery, where the owner was operating Fendt and ERO equipment. The visit offered insight into German wine production, alongside open discussions about the differences between German and UK growing conditions and winemaking preferences. One of the key talking points was the difference in cost per bottle, driven by Germany’s higher yields and lower alcohol duty. A look around the machinery shed also led to conversations about Fendt specifications and what growers prioritise in their own operations.
Day two – Braun Maschinenbau Gmbh, Landau in der Pfalz
From Simmern, the group travelled to Landau in der Pfalz to visit Braun Maschinenbau, where the group were greeted with traditional soft Brezels and local sparkling wine.
After a warm welcome from owner Stefan Braun, the visit began with a presentation where Tobias Spieß introduced the company and discussed new products.
Not yet introduced to the UK market, Braun has further improved its vine stem cleaner with the new Modul Clean head, now featuring a larger hydraulic motor to increase revolution speed and a robust strimmer cord in place of the black paddles to improve the removal of grass and weeds. In addition to this, there is also a new under-vine mower head which fits onto the existing Braun modular frames and systems.
Both new products led to a valuable discussion around weed management.
The Braun Rollhacke, first developed in 1991, has often been the tool of choice, with around 150,000 units produced and sold, thanks to its tool free adjustment, low maintenance requirements, and the ability to work both in and out of the soil, with flexible mounting options.
Yet, with concerns about soil erosion and sustainability, more growers today are looking towards methods that avoid disturbing the soil. Braun’s development of the Modul Clean and under-vine mower provides a solution and underlines the clear link that exists between manufacturer and user.
Braun’s history and this close relationship with growers came through clearly throughout the visit. Founded in 1958 by Stefan’s father, the company still reflects its roots, with some of the original machinery on display in an on-site museum.
Braun has been producing under vine cultivation equipment since 1967, and while many of the tools have evolved, the core principles behind systems remain unchanged.
During the full factory tour, it was clear to see the level of detail and craftsmanship that goes into the equipment, giving growers a deeper appreciation of the work behind the machines.
Similar to ERO, Braun’s purpose-built factory, completed in 2016 and covering 18,000 square metres, features well-designed layouts, modern robotics and highly specialist equipment.
There was again a strong focus on maintaining control over the production process, with most parts manufactured on site. In many cases, components already have a customer assigned by the time they leave the welding stage, reflecting the level of demand and customisation.
Afterwards, additional visits, organised by Braun, to another winery and a large vineyard-contracting business using Fendt, ERO and Braun equipment helped put everything into context. The contracting operation in particular stood out, with a fleet of seven Fendt tractors and 14 ERO Grapeliner harvesters.
Day three – Fendt Forum, Marktoberdorf
The final visit of the trip was to the Fendt Forum, home to Fendt’s main manufacturing facility in Germany, where over 100 tractors are produced each day.
While the Fendt Forum and Dieselross restaurant are both open to the public, factory tours are exclusively reserved for customers and sales partners only.
Fendt do not permit photographs or notes to be taken on the tour, but the scale and level of organisation left a strong impression and it was a real highlight and a fitting way to end the trip.
By seeing both how machinery is made and the level of detail that goes into every part of every product, the group returned with a better understanding of the equipment they rely on and the thinking behind it.
