A family business since 1885

Technology for the land.

Our company was founded in 1885 by Johann Zürn Sr., the great-grandfather of the current owner, Rolf Zürn. Johann opened a blacksmith shop in the village of Westernhausen, providing a livelihood for his family by shoeing farm horses.

Over time, the company expanded and in 1950 evolved into a trading company specializing in farm machinery. At that time, Karl Zürn, the father of our managing director Rolf Zürn, signed a contract with tractor manufacturer Eicher to become an authorized dealer of Eicher tractors. In 1963, he took the next big and courageous step by signing a dealership contract with John Deere-Lanz AG, making J. ZÜRN OHG one of the first authorized John Deere dealers in Germany.

In 1980, the company began developing and manufacturing rapeseed headers, which marked the beginning of ZÜRN as a manufacturer. ZÜRN evolved into a harvesting specialist, helping manufacturers of combine harvesters boost the efficiency of their machines.

Rooted in Agriculture – since 1885

The beginnings

Johann Zürn senior opens a blacksmith shop in Westernhausen and earnes the livelihood for his familiy by shoeing of horses.

The first own machines

Johann Zürn produces farm trailers, harrows and other agricultural equipment.

Trade with agricultural machines

Start of agricultural machinery dealership: Contract with the German tractor manufacturer Eicher.

Dealer contract

Karl Zürn becomes authorised dealer of John Deere-Lanz AG, Mannheim.

Move to the present company building

Zürn moves to the current headquarter in Westernhausen.

Rapstische sämtlicher Marken auf dem Rapsfeld bei der Ernte

Development of rape seed extensions

Start of the production of rape seed harvesting equipment. Zürn develops into a harvesting specialist and makes combines even more efficient.

Karl Zürn passes away

Karl Zürn passes away in the age of 52. A turning point that was overcome only by a high degree of personal responsibility of the employees and the tireless efforts of Herta Zürn.

Rolf Zürn Portrait vor John Deere Maschine

Takeover of management

Rolf Zürn becomes Managing Director of Zürn GmbH & Co. KG.

Extension of the production

A new production facility for rape seed harvesting equipment was opened at the headquarter of the company in Westernhausen.

Development of a plot combine

Start of development of a plot combine with a team of former Hege employees at the Untermünkheim facility. In 2005 the first prototype is trialled in the field at Saatzucht Breun in Herzogenaurach.

Silbermedaille auf der Agritechnica für Premium Flow

Agritechnica silver medal

The convincing concept of the new developped ZÜRN PREMIUM FLOW belt conveyor header was awarded with a DLG silver medal at Agritechnica in Hanover.

Move to Merchingen

Acquisition of a new production hall for cutting platforms at Ravenstein-Merchingen.

Field Research Technology back in Hohebuch

To increase manufacturing capacities the production of plot combines moves to Hohebuch into the former Hege factory.

Big anniversary year

The company Zürn celebrates its 125th anniversary.

Direktschneidwerk Profi Cut auf dem Feld

New product: PROFI CUT

Zürn introduces the PROFI CUT direct cut header, a universal header for harvesting of whole crops with powerful forage harvesters.

Novelty: The ZÜRN 170

The ZÜRN 170 extends the product range of field research technology by a powerful and bigger plot combine.

Rebranding

Rebranding of the production of cutting platforms and plot combines to Zürn Harvesting GmbH & Co. KG

50 years of plot combines

The domain of Hohebuch now has been a reliable partner for field research technicians for more than 50 years. Today, Zürn Harvesting manufactures state-of-the-art plot combines at the former Hege site.

Parzellen Sätechnik auf dem kahlen Acker

Acquisition of plot seeding technology

Expansion of the product range on plot seeders by the aquisition of of the division plot technology of AgrarMarkt Deppe. Since 2006 a close partnership had existed between the two companies.

Silbermedaille auf der Agritechnica für den Premium Flow

Silver medal award

The independent DLG Innovations Commission of Agritechnica awarded a silver medal for the innovative fully electrified cutting platform i-Flow - developped by Zürn Harvesting and its partners.

Investment in Garford

Zürn Harvesting has acquired a majority stake in the English hoeing technology manufacturer Garford Farm Machinery Ltd. to expand the product range and include the growth market of mechanical weed control.

Seed Terminator auf dem Stoppelfeld, Ansicht von unten

New: Seed Terminator

Zürn Harvesting offers the Australian Seed Terminator in Europe. A simple attachment to the combine to kill weed seeds by two multi-stage hammer mills before they become next year‘s weeds.

Zürn präsentiert Neuheiten auf der Agritechnica, Standsicht von der Seite

Fireworks of innovations at Agritechnica

Never before we had this many new products to be presented at Agritechnica: By launching the TOP CUT COLLECT, Zürn Harvesting is introducing completely new technologies for mechanical weed control.

Surface centre

With the new surface treatment centre, Zürn Harvesting is expanding its production capacity at the Merchingen facility.The modern powder-coating facility is one of the largest in the region.

Bouille mit Preis auf dem Acker mit Maschine im Hintergrund

SIMA Innovation Award

At the SIMA Innovation Awards, Zürn Harvesting and Bouillé Concept receive the special prize for agroecological change.

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A harvester’s performance begins on the header

As modern combines and forage harvesters have enormous capacities, it’s a special challenge to utilise these capacities to full potential. A perfect crop flow on the header is fundamental for high throughputs with combines and forage harvesters.
Since the 1980s, Zürn Harvesting is a seasoned developer and manufacturer of optional attachments and equipments to make combines and forage harvesters of all brands even more efficient.

The company’s development into a harvesting specialist began with the invention of the first rapeseed extensions more than 40 years ago. Equipped with the superior mechanical drive of the side knives, the rapeseed headers have proven themselves tens of thousands of times over.

Today, the product range extends from attachments for rapeseed and sunflower harvesting to the PROFI CUT whole crop header for forage harvesters and the PREMIUM FLOW high-performance belt header for combines. Header transporters complete our extensive portfolio.

Econventional solutions expand the crop production toolbox

How can we combine existing and new technologies in a way that promotes sustainable agriculture and makes our own product portfolio fit for the future?

This question drives us every day. So, we fully committed to rethink weed control.

Some of our newly developed machines form a whole new product category which is not available by any other manufacturer on the market so far. These solutions include clever ideas from ecological farming and conventional practices – combining the best of both worlds. The headline for this new category was found quickly: ECONVENTIONAL FARMING.

Our ECONVENTIONAL FARMING solutions also forge a link to our sister company GARFORD. With the invention of the camera based control for high precision guided hoes, GARFORD is a true pioneer of mechanical weed control. With the precise, effective and reliable camera technology, hoes are getting back in the fields of conventional farming operations.

The SEED TERMINATOR offers new opportunities in conventional farming to fight herbicide resistance. For ecological agriculture, it allows a whole new level of weed control. The TOP CUT COLLECT removes weed seeds that grow higher than your crop to reduce the weed seed bank .

And there is one more thing that unites our ECONVENTIONAL SOLUTIONS: All these ideas have been developed in the practice with a close connection to the field. All this was just possible thanks to the clever minds behind these ideas. Innovative and passionate people from various countries of the world who are deeply rooted in agriculture. Together, we brought the products to a series maturity.

Your reliable partner for field research technology

Agriculture has made outstanding progress in recent years. The reasons for significant yield increases in agricultural products are in particular the breeding of highly productive varieties which are well adapted to the specific local conditions.

Agricultural field research and testing plays a vital role in these breeding procedures. By providing well designed machines and services, ZÜRN HARVESTING is supporting field technicians from all over the world in performing their daily tasks.

It all began in 2004, when a team of former Hege employees brought the idea of developing a highly productive plot combine into our company. Today, we offer you a complete range of products and services for agricultural field research. We at ZÜRN HARVESTING all work hard and are dedicated to make these products even more tailored to your specific needs.