Visit by the Minister of Agriculture

Peter Hauk, Minister of Agriculture for Baden-Württemberg, recently visited the Zürn company at its Merchingen site. The focus of the visit was an intensive exchange of ideas and a tour of the production facilities.

The Zürn Group is a long-established family business with roots dating back to 1885. Starting out as a blacksmith’s shop, the company has developed into an internationally active specialist in agricultural technology. At its Merchingen site, it produces cutting platforms and additional equipment for combine harvesters and forage harvesters, which are used worldwide.

Minister Peter Hauk visits Zürn Harvesting in Merchingen

Managing Director Rolf Zürn welcomed the delegation and described the current situation in the industry. ‘Our order situation is fundamentally solid, but the economic conditions remain challenging. Rising costs, bureaucracy and international distortions of competition are having a noticeable impact on medium-sized industrial companies,’ Rolf Zürn made clear.

In addition to manufacturing cutting platforms, the company now also specialises in the production of modern technology for mechanical weed control. This innovation earned praise from Agriculture Minister Peter Hauk: ‘It is gratifying to see medium-sized companies from Baden-Württemberg coming up with innovations and supplying them all over the world,’ said Hauk. During his tour, the minister emphasised the importance of efficient family businesses for rural areas. They contribute to securing jobs, adding value and technological expertise in our region. ‘We must do everything we can to make production conditions as simple as possible in order to support family businesses,’ Peter Hauk assured. Strong small and medium-sized enterprises continue to be a unique selling point for Baden-Württemberg, which is recognised worldwide. This must remain the case.

The Minister of Agriculture was accompanied by members of the Ravenstein CDU municipal association, who used the visit to gain their own impression of the production facility. The interested visitors were impressed by the technical explanations and dimensions. Those involved agreed to continue the close exchange between politics and business in order to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the region.