What Herder does

Herder B.V. is a Dutch manufacturer of professional machinery for sustainable ditch, verge, and vegetation management, headquartered in Middelburg, Netherlands and operating since 1947. The company designs and builds self-propelled machines (Herder One, 225 HP), arm mowers (Grenadier, Cavalier, Musketier, Rapier), excavator extension booms, the CR10 radio-controlled tool carrier, and a broad portfolio of attachments covering roadside, waterway, vegetation, and forestry applications. Core technology centres on hydraulic systems, boom-arm kinematics, automatic ground tracking (Nivotronic), and patented mowing geometries such as the 1964 Mowing Bucket and the 2022 Ecochopper. Manufacturing is performed at the Middelburg facility, which has been expanded multiple times since 1975, with capacity to support both production and long-term spare-parts supply for machines that remain in service for 20-30 years.

Herder monetises almost exclusively through one-time hardware sales of machines, attachments, and spare parts, distributed via an authorised dealer network spanning 30+ countries. Pricing is dealer-based and quote-driven, with no public price list; the website routes buyers to 'Book a Demo' and 'Talk to an Expert' CTAs, and Herder's own specialists provide direct support for advanced accounts. The customer base is concentrated in three primary segments: government organisations and water authorities responsible for public-roadside and watercourse maintenance, professional contractors serving those same end customers, and municipalities. Since 2007-2008, Herder has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Alamo Group The Netherlands (part of NYSE-listed Alamo Group), following the departure of the second-generation owner family. The company is positioned as the global market leader in its niche, with brand recognition dating to 1947 and a current R&D focus on biodiversity-friendly mowing solutions aligned with EU sustainability regulation.

Name

Herder

Legal name

Herder B.V.

Website

https://herder.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Herder B.V. is a Dutch manufacturer, founded in 1947, of professional machinery for ditch, verge, and vegetation maintenance. It serves governments, water authorities, municipalities, and contractors across 30+ countries via a dealer network, as a subsidiary of Alamo Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vegetation Management Machinery

NAICS

Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331), Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal & Public Works Specialty Vehicles (Street Sweepers, Sewer Jetters) (IMAHAIAI)

Keywords

• Vegetation management machinery
• Verge maintenance equipment
• Ditch mowing machines
• Arm mowers
• Excavator attachments

Headquarters

HQ city

Middelburg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Heavy Machinery Sales: Sale of self-propelled machines (Herder One), arm mowers (Grenadier, Cavalier, Musketier, Rapier), excavator extension booms, and remote control tool carriers (CR10). Machines are sold as one-time capital purchases with high durability (20-30 year operational life).
2. Attachments and Tools: Sale of interchangeable attachments including mowing buckets, flail mowers, forestry mowers, stump cutters, hedge mowers, weed brushes, and specialized tools compatible with Herder machines and third-party equipment.
3. Parts and Spare Parts: High availability of spare parts for long-term serviceability of machines. Herder emphasizes parts availability as a key sustainability feature.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Herder designs, engineers, and manufactures professional heavy machinery for sustainable ditch, verge, water, vegetation, and forestry maintenance, producing self-propelled machines, arm mowers, excavator extension booms, remote control tool carriers, and a broad range of interchangeable attachments. Machines are built at the company's facility in Middelburg, Netherlands, with operational lifespans of 20-30 years, and are sold as capital equipment primarily to contractors, municipalities, water authorities, and government organizations through a global authorized dealer network.

Product overview

Herder is a specialist manufacturer of professional machinery for sustainable ditch, verge, and vegetation management, producing machines in the Netherlands since 1947. The product portfolio is organized into four main machine categories: (1) Self-Propelled machines featuring the Herder One flagship with its 225 HP engine and 360-degree rotating cabin; (2) Arm Mowers including the Grenadier (most powerful, 15+ attachments, up to 11m reach), Cavalier (cost-efficient 6.60-7.35m), Musketier (verge specialist with Nivotronic ground-tracking), and Rapier (3-point linkage mount); (3) Excavator Extension Booms with extension booms, extension sets for various excavator sizes, and rotating tipping buckets; and (4) Remote Control machines centered on the CR10 tool carrier (55-75 HP, 55-degree slope capability) with specialized attachments including flail mowers, forestry mowers with fixed blades or hammers, stump cutters (SC-410H, SC-550H), and cutterbar. Additionally, Herder offers a comprehensive range of arm and boom attachments for applications spanning roadside maintenance (Ecochopper Kleurkeur-certified, Ecological Mower, Ecomower, Crash Barrier Mower, Weed Brush), water maintenance (Mowing Bucket, Fish Protector, Dredging Bucket, Water Pump), vegetation management (Hedge Mower, Hedge Trimmer, Circular Saw, Leaf Vacuum), and forestry (Forestry Mower, Tree Shear, Heavy Pruning Lopper, Multi-Blade Saw). Excavator-mounted stump cutters (SCE-410H through SCE-800H) round out the attachment lineup.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Herder One Flagship self-propelled machine with 225 HP FPT 6-cylinder engine, 360-degree rotating cabin, and compatibility with the full range of Herder attachments for year-round ditch, verge, and vegetation maintenance.
• Grenadier Most powerful arm mower tool carrier with standard reach between 6.40 m and 8.80 m (up to 11 m on request), mid-mounted to tractor, accepting more than 15 attachment types for verge, ditch, and vegetation maintenance.
• Cavalier Cost-efficient mowing arm for the mid-segment, standard arm length 6.60 m (7.35 m with optional sliding jib), with electronically operated joystick control.
• Musketier Cost-effective mowing arm for verge maintenance with standard 5.4 m reach (6.2 m with optional sliding boom), equipped with Nivotronic automatic ground-tracking system.
• Rapier Mowing arm for flailing verges and ditch slopes, mounts on standard 3-point linkage for easy tractor switching.
• CR10 Tool Carrier Radio-controlled tool carrier with 55 HP 3-cylinder engine (75 HP 4-cylinder option), compact design for slopes up to 55 degrees, compatible with flail mowers, stump cutters, and cutterbar attachments.
• Extension Boom for Excavator Boom extension for excavators up to 12 tonnes (reinforced model for larger), replaces original excavator boom completely.
• Extension Sets for Excavators Boom sets for medium-sized excavators (5-9 tonnes) and special excavators like Mecalac and Gallmac, with custom-built options available.
• Rotating Tipping Bucket for Excavator Developed for unloading in the longitudinal direction of a ditch, available in models for excavators smaller and larger than 12 tonnes with 80 cm effective extension.
• Ecochopper Kleurkeur-certified ecological mower with a unique design eliminating suction to protect flora and fauna, working widths 165 cm and 124 cm, minimizing soil disturbance.
• Ecological Mower Groenkeur-certified low-impact verge management mower, 160 cm working width, reduces suction and turbulence for biodiversity protection.
• Ecomower Rotating rotor mower with loose flails for rough vegetation along road verges, optionally available with conveyor belt, auger unit, or suction unit.
• Crash Barrier Mower Designed for reaching under barriers during road maintenance.
• Weed Brush For effective clearing of large weed areas.
• Mowing Bucket Patented in 1964, essential for efficient removal of reeds and aquatic vegetation from agricultural ditches.
• Fish Protector Prevents fish from being drawn into the mowing bucket, significantly reducing fish mortality during watercourse maintenance.
• Dredging Bucket For waterway maintenance and dredging operations.
• Water Pump For water management applications.
• Hedge Mower For vegetation maintenance along hedgerows.
• Hedge Trimmer For vegetation maintenance trimming.
• Circular Saw For vegetation cutting applications.
• Leaf Vacuum For vegetation maintenance leaf collection.
• Forestry Mower Heavy-duty forestry attachment for clearing rough overgrowth including brush, shrubs, and small to medium-sized tree stumps.
• Tree Shear Fermex tree shear for forestry maintenance.
• Heavy Pruning Lopper For forestry maintenance heavy pruning tasks.
• Multi-Blade Saw Multiple circular saw configuration for forestry maintenance.
• SCE-410H Stumpcutter Excavator-mounted stump grinder for removing tree stumps.
• SCE-550H Stumpcutter Excavator-mounted stump grinder for heavy-duty stump removal.
• SCE-630H Stumpcutter Excavator-mounted stump grinder for large-scale stump removal.
• SCE-800H Stumpcutter Excavator-mounted stump grinder for professional heavy-duty stump removal.
• CR10 Standard Flailmower For grass and branches up to 6-8 cm diameter, 130 cm working width with 20 light hammer flails.
• CR10 Forestry Mower with Fixed Blades For grass, shrubs, and young trees up to 8-10 cm diameter, 130 cm width with 49 fixed blades.
• CR10 Forestry Mower with Hammers With 24 hammer flails rotating 360 degrees, 130 cm working width for heavy-duty vegetation clearing.
• CR10 with SC-550H Stumpcutter Self-propelled remote-control stump cutter with 550 mm cutting wheel, 32 teeth, 85 cm width.
• CR10 with SC-410 Stumpcutter Remote-control stump cutter with 410 mm cutting wheel, 24 chisel holders, 85 cm working width.
• CR10: Cutterbar Ecological mowing with scissor-like cutting action, 77 cm throughput, working widths 1.35-2.35 m for sustainable verge maintenance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Machines typically remain operational for 20-30 years, reducing total cost of ownership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FermexcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Fermex stump grinders acquired in 2011 and fully produced in Middelburg, seamlessly fitting Herder's existing product line for vegetation and stump management.
• Alamo Group The NetherlandscoreOthersHerder is part of Alamo Group The Netherlands, a leading manufacturer of vegetation management equipment. Alamo Group is a publicly traded company (NYSE: ALG) headquartered in Seguin, Texas, USA. Herder operates under the Alamo Group Nederland, Middelburg B.V. corporate structure.
• Dealer NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExtensive dealer network across 30+ countries that sell, support, and maintain Herder machines. Partners include Pivabo (Belgium), Voets (Netherlands), Data Green (France), Mastenbroek (UK), Wilmers (Germany), Urs Schmid (Switzerland), and many others spanning Europe, North America, and Australia.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• John Deere (Deere & Company): Global leader in agricultural and construction machinery with a broad portfolio including mowers, tractors, and excavators. While not specialized in Herder's arm-mower niche, Deere competes indirectly via tractor-mounted vegetation equipment and has the scale and dealer footprint that dwarfs Herder's European base.
• Alamo Group: NYSE-listed parent of Herder (ALG) and a global leader in vegetation management and infrastructure maintenance equipment. Sibling brands (e.g., Alamo Industrial, Tiger, Schwarze) offer overlapping mower and sweeper capabilities in adjacent niches, while parent-level R&D and distribution benefit Herder.
• Kubota: Japanese manufacturer of compact tractors, excavators, and grounds-care equipment with strong European municipal and landscaping presence. Indirectly competes through tractor-mounted mowing attachments and represents both a potential OEM partner and a broad incumbent with comparable dealer reach.
• Bobcat (Doosan Bobcat): Global compact equipment manufacturer (skid-steers, compact track loaders, mini-excavators) with a growing range of attachments including mowers and forestry tools. Comparable in compact-equipment positioning and dealer-driven GTM, overlapping with Herder's excavator-attachment and CR10 product lines.
• Vermeer Corporation: US-based industrial and agricultural equipment manufacturer with a meaningful presence in vegetation management (wood chippers, stump grinders, brush cutters) and underground construction. Comparable in heavy-duty, professional-grade equipment positioning with a North American distribution footprint Herder could leverage.

Direct peers

• McConnel: UK-based manufacturer of arm-mounted mowers and vegetation management equipment for tractors and carriers. Most direct competitor to Herder's Grenadier, Cavalier, and Musketier arm mowers, serving contractors and municipalities across Europe with comparable reach and attachment systems.
• FAE Group: Italian-headquartered manufacturer of forestry mulchers, rock crushers, and attachment heads for tractors, excavators, and skid-steers. Direct competitor in forestry and roadside vegetation management attachments, with strong overlap to Herder's forestry mower, stump cutter, and excavator product families.
• Seppi M. Italian manufacturer of mulchers, forestry mowers, and vegetation management attachments for tractors and excavators. Overlaps directly with Herder's forestry mower, stumpcutter, and excavator-attachment product lines, particularly in European municipal and contractor channels.
• Bomford Turner: British manufacturer of arm mowers, flail mowers, and vegetation management equipment. Direct competitor in the European municipal and contractor segment with overlapping reach profiles (5–8m arms), making it a primary head-to-head alternative to Herder's verge and ditch maintenance lineup.
• Spearhead Machinery: UK-based specialist in vegetation control equipment, including mulchers, flail mowers, and boom mowers. Competes directly with Herder across roadside and forestry maintenance, with comparable attachment ecosystems for tractor-mounted applications.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5mNoTG1VoR7WmQzEGJpAyA/feed
• Facebookfacebook.com/HerderBV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/herder-b-v-
• Instagraminstagram.com/herder_machines
• Xx.com/herderintl

Compliance3 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 Herder