Berthoud

What Berthoud does

Berthoud, founded in 1895 in Belleville-sur-Saône (now Belleville-en-Beaujolais, France) and wholly-owned by EXEL Industries since 1987, manufactures and supplies a wide range of crop protection equipment, vine sprayers, backpack sprayers, parts, and accessories. Its product portfolio spans arable equipment (small carried PULVASOL and ALTO sprayers, mid-size HERMES and HERMES DARK, large HERACLES, trailed SPRINTER, TRACKER and TRACKER 4000, premium VANTAGE DARK, and self-propelled RAPTOR) and a comprehensive viticulture range (WIN'AIR trailed pneumatic sprayers, CRUIS'AIR cells for New Holland straddle carriers, KATCH recovery-panel sprayer, mini/compact cells for steep terrain, and APOLO/VEGA powder dusters). The firm 100% designs and manufactures at its Belleville-en-Beaujolais facility, integrating proprietary precision technologies including SNIPER (AI-powered ultra-localized spraying), SPRAYTRONIC (PWM modulation), AIR DRIVE (air-assisted delivery with ZNT homologation), ISOTRONIC (section control and traceability), KATCH (product recovery reducing plant protection product use up to 90%) and the DARK premium package with DUALELEC and DARK Privilège service.

Berthoud sells primarily through an authorized dealer and concessionnaire network in France and internationally, supported by a field sales force, a quote-request lead-capture funnel on berthoud.com, and an active multi-language digital presence including YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. The company offers BERTHOUD RENT, an equipment leasing programme with ACCESS (extended warranty plus two annual technician visits) and FULL (wear parts and maintenance) service tiers. A long-standing OEM partnership with New Holland Agriculture (CNH Industrial) supplies CRUIS'AIR spraying cells as plug-and-play integrations with IntelliView IV terminals, while a May 2025 exclusive distribution agreement with Murphy Machinery extends coverage to the Irish market.

The company's customer base is diversified across arable farmers, viticulturists (primary segments), polyculture-livestock operations, market gardeners, and agricultural contractors (ETAs), served by products that address plant-protection cost reduction, ZNT regulatory compliance, drift reduction and operator comfort. SIMA innovation awards (1978 gold for controlled droplet spraying, 2013 for CLEAN SPRAYER direct injection, 2015 silver for Bsafe) and AIR DRIVE's ZNT homologation underpin its position in precision agriculture, with the 2024 French gender-equality index of 78/100 reflecting governance compliance. No public revenue or ARR figures are disclosed.

Name

Berthoud

Legal name

BERTHOUD (SAS)

Website

https://berthoud.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Berthoud is a French agricultural and viticultural spraying equipment manufacturer (founded 1895) producing trailed, mounted, self-propelled, and pneumatic sprayers along with proprietary precision technologies including AI-based SNIPER, distributed via dealers and New Holland OEM partnerships to arable farmers and winegrowers primarily in France and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Spraying Equipment

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Crop Protection & Application Equipment (Sprayers/Spreaders) (IMAHACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spray Control, Rate Controllers & Nozzle Systems (Pumps, Valves, Atomizers) (AFAAADAF), Sprayer Calibration, Testing & Drift-Reduction Technology (Sensors, Shields, Adjuvant Dosing) (AFAAADAI)

Keywords

• Agricultural sprayers
• Viticultural spraying equipment
• Crop protection equipment
• Precision spraying technology
• Trailed sprayers

Headquarters

HQ city

Belleville

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Agricultural sprayer hardware sales: Berthoud's primary revenue comes from the manufacture and sale of agricultural and viticultural spraying equipment. The product portfolio spans trailed sprayers (VANTAGE, TRACKER, SPRINTER), self-propelled sprayers (RAPTOR), mounted sprayers (HERMES, HERACLES, ALTO, PULVASOL), vineyard sprayers (WIN'AIR, CRUIS'AIR cells, KATCH panels), and dusters (VEGA, APOLO). Products range from small 200L models to 6,500L trailed sprayers and 5,200L self-propelled units. Sales are made through a network of dealers and distributors worldwide.
2. BERTHOUD RENT (Equipment leasing): Berthoud offers equipment leasing through BERTHOUD RENT, a rental solution without a purchase option that allows customers to regularly renew equipment and benefit from the latest innovations. Two formula tiers: ACCESS includes extended warranty and two annual technician visits; FULL adds a service and maintenance pack covering wear parts (including nozzles). This provides recurring revenue and lowers upfront purchase barriers for customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Berthoud manufactures and sells a comprehensive range of agricultural and viticultural crop protection spraying equipment, including carried, trailed, and self-propelled sprayers (200L to 6,500L capacity) for field crops and vineyards, along with vineyard spraying cells for New Holland and straddle carriers, powder dusters, and precision spraying technologies (SNIPER AI, SPRAYTRONIC PWM, AIR DRIVE, ISOTRONIC). The company also offers financing via BERTHOUD RENT leasing and the DARK Privilège premium service package. All products are designed and manufactured at its Belleville-en-Beaujolais facility in France.

Product overview

Berthoud is a French agricultural and viticultural spraying equipment manufacturer founded in 1895, offering one of the widest ranges of sprayers in the market. The product portfolio spans field crops (Grandes Cultures) and vineyards (Vignes) segments. Field crop products include: compact carried sprayers (PULVASOL 200L, ALTO 300-800L), standard and premium carried sprayers (HERMES 800-1200L, HERMES DARK 1600-2000L, HERACLES 2600-3500L), trailed sprayers (SPRINTER 2500L, TRACKER 3200-4000L, VANTAGE DARK 3500-6500L), and self-propelled sprayers (RAPTOR 3200-5200L). Vineyard products include: recovery panel sprayers (KATCH), trailed pneumatic sprayers (WIN'AIR 600-1500L), spraying cells for platform straddlers (CRUIS'AIR Plateau, CELULLE COMPACT), spraying cells for New Holland carriers (CRUIS'AIR 7.50M/8.50L, CRUIS'AIR 9000L, CRUIS'AIR 9070N/9080N, CRUIS'AIR TE6), powder dusters (VEGA, APOLO), and compact cells for crawlers (MINI/MINI-TRAC). Key technology modules include: SNIPER (AI-powered ultra-localized spraying), ISOTRONIC (automatic section control), SPRAYTRONIC (PWM variable rate), and AIR DRIVE (air-assisted high-definition spraying). Services include BERTHOUD RENT financing and DARK Privilège premium support. The company joined EXEL Industries group in 1987.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DARK: Premium product line featuring advanced technologies including DUALELEC motorized implementation, continuous circulation with pneumatic anti-drip, and exterior washing, with DARK Privilège service package
• France Pulvé

Products and services

• RAPTOR Self-Propelled Sprayer

Quantifiable outcome

• IFT (Index of Treatment Frequency) reduced by 45 to 85% using SNIPER AI-powered ultra-localized spraying technology (3-year trials, 10,000+ ha across Europe)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered key and core.

• Murphy MachinerykeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 May 2025Berthoud partnered with Murphy Machinery, a Kilkenny-based company, to distribute its agricultural spraying products throughout Ireland. Murphy Machinery handles sales, distribution, and likely after-sales support for Berthoud products in the Irish market, covering both the Vantage and Tracker trailed sprayer models.
• New Holland Agriculture (parent: CNH Industrial)coreTechnology or IntegrationBerthoud has a long-standing partnership with New Holland to develop and supply spraying cells specifically designed and homologated for New Holland tractor-mounted harvesters (Braud brand) and straddle carriers. The CRUIS'AIR product line (9000L, 7000M/8000L, 9070N/9080N, TE6) is designed as plug-and-play solutions for New Holland equipment. The integration connects to the IntelliView IV terminal and uses New Holland's joystick controls for spray management.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• John Deere: Global agricultural equipment leader that has integrated precision spraying capabilities (See & Spray Ultimate) into its tractor and sprayer platforms. Competes with Berthoud primarily as a broad-acre full-line vendor, but its AI-spraying R&D is a structural threat to Berthoud's SNIPER positioning in the precision spraying category.
• AGCO: Global full-line agricultural equipment manufacturer (Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Valtra, RoGator, Horsch cooperation). Competes with Berthoud via RoGator self-propelled sprayers and through Fendt's precision spraying integrations. A broad incumbent with overlapping dealer channels across Europe.

Emerging players

• Bilberry: French AI-powered precision spraying startup focused on real-time weed detection and selective spraying (GreenOnBrown and GreenOnGreen). Direct overlap with Berthoud's SNIPER positioning in the same French and broader EU market, representing an emerging competitor with venture-backed speed.
• GreenEye Technology: Israeli AI precision spraying startup commercializing selective spraying systems for broad-acre crops. Competes in the same AI computer-vision spraying category as Berthoud's SNIPER, with international market reach (US, Australia, Argentina) that complements but threatens Berthoud's geographic positioning.

Others

• CNH Industrial: Parent of New Holland (Berthoud's key OEM partner for CRUIS'AIR cells) and Case IH. While New Holland's viticulture carrier business is a customer of Berthoud, CNH Industrial as a whole is a broad agricultural equipment competitor and potential long-term threat if it internalizes spraying cell production rather than sourcing from Berthoud.
• Hardi International: Danish sprayer specialist also owned by EXEL Industries (Berthoud's parent), making it a sister company rather than a market competitor in the traditional sense. Comparable product range (mounted, trailed, self-propelled) and similar precision spraying positioning; useful as a comparable for capital allocation decisions within the EXEL group.

Direct peers

• Horsch: German agricultural machinery manufacturer known for tillage, seeding, and crop protection sprayers (Leeb LT, GS, VL, PT). Direct competitor in high-capacity trailed and self-propelled sprayers, with comparable PWM precision technology and large-acre focus that overlaps with Berthoud's VANTAGE and RAPTOR lines.
• Amazone: German family-owned manufacturer of agricultural and grounds care machinery, with a major crop protection sprayer business (UX trailed, UF mounted, Pantera self-propelled). Directly competes with Berthoud in field-crop sprayers across Europe with comparable tank capacity ranges and ISOBUS precision spraying options.
• Kuhn Group: French-headquartered agricultural machinery manufacturer (owned by Bucher Industries) producing mounted, trailed, and self-propelled sprayers (Metris 2, Lexis, Stronger). Direct competitor to Berthoud in the French and broader EU market with overlapping precision spraying features and dealer networks.
• Lemken: German family-owned agricultural implement specialist with a growing sprayer portfolio (Primus, Albatros, Orion, Vega). Competes directly with Berthoud in mounted and trailed field sprayers and increasingly in precision spraying with ISOBUS-based section control and PWM technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfxVHeo6pYaPSQ3m156xWzw
• Facebookfacebook.com/BerthoudAgricole
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/berthoud
• Instagraminstagram.com/berthoud_agricole/?hl=fr
• Xx.com/berthoudfrance

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berthoud