Lemken Has Sold Its Dinteloord Weeder Factory
The manufacturer is moving production of its mechanical weeder range to its headquarters in Germany.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Manufacturing
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Lemken has moved to sell the factory it built in Dinteloord, Holland, for its mechanical weeder range. The company is now shifting all manufacturing and assembly operations to its primary headquarters in Alpen, Germany.
Why it matters
The decision follows an anticipated boom in mechanical weeder sales that failed to materialise. By consolidating production, Lemken aims to optimise its manufacturing output and improve its overall competitive position.
The Dinteloord factory represented an initial investment of €18m (£15.5m) for the manufacturer. This consolidation effort is part of a broader shift after Lemken acquired the Dutch business Steketee in 2018.
The players
Lemken
Lemken is a German agricultural machinery manufacturer known for producing specialized equipment for cultivation and crop protection.
Carré
Carré is a manufacturer of agricultural machinery based in the Vendee region of France.
Racine group
The Racine group is an investment entity formed to provide capital for the manufacturer Carré.
The details
Lemken is moving its assembly lines to its existing headquarters plant in northern Germany to streamline efficiency. Meanwhile, the agriculture sector also saw the Racine group acquire a 10% stake in the French manufacturer Carré following the conclusion of a 15-month restructuring process.
Timeline
Lemken acquired the Dutch business Steketee in 2018.
Carré concluded a 15-month court-supervised restructuring process in July 2026.
The sale of the Dinteloord factory was reported in September 2026.
Market Landscape
This consolidation follows the pattern set by the 2018 acquisition of Steketee by Lemken, which expanded the firm's reach into mechanical weeding. The move mirrors industry-wide efforts to realign manufacturing footprints to match lower-than-projected demand for specialized agricultural equipment.
Customers of the mechanical weeder range may experience changes in production timelines as operations transition to the Alpen facility. Future support and procurement for these machines will now be routed directly through the company's German headquarters.
The takeaway
Agricultural equipment firms are increasingly consolidating production assets to maintain efficiency in a cooling market. This pivot highlights the challenges of scaling niche mechanical weeding technology when sector-wide sales growth stalls.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts, explore the latest Manufacturing updates.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Farmers Weekly.
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