What Krone International Inc. does

Krone International Inc. (legally Bernard KRONE Holding SE & Co. KG) is a family-owned German industrial group founded in 1906 and headquartered in Spelle, Germany, operating across two core divisions: Agricultural Machinery (Landtechnik) and Commercial Vehicles (Nutzfahrzeuge). The agricultural machinery division manufactures farm equipment including mowers, tedders, rakes, balers, and forage harvesters, distributed under the KRONE Agriculture brand alongside acquired brand Gigant. The commercial vehicle division — consolidated under the KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group via the 2015 Brüggen merger, the 2019 Knapen acquisition, and the 2024 Schwarzmüller partnership — produces trailers, semi-trailers, refrigerated trailers, and curtain-sided trailers for freight transport, distributed under KRONE, Brüggen, and Knapen brands. The group also offers an eTrailer electrified propulsion system co-developed with Trailer Dynamics, precision agriculture "Smart Farming Solutions," and agrilogistics offerings that link farming equipment with downstream transport.

KRONE generates revenue primarily through hardware sales via a hybrid go-to-market combining direct sales (KRONE Business Centers), an extensive European dealer network, and strategic channel partners. Customer segments are farmers and agricultural contractors on the Landtechnik side, and transport/logistics fleet operators on the Nutzfahrzeuge side, served across Europe (Germany-led), North America, and Turkey. Manufacturing is distributed across eight sites — Spelle, Werlte, Haselünne, Herzlake, Dinklage, Lingen, Lübtheen (Germany), and Tire (Turkey) — with approximately 7,000 employees. Reported annual turnover for FY2024/2025 is referenced at approximately €2 billion. The group is currently in its fourth generation of Krone family ownership under Bernard Krone, with board members Dr. Stefan Binnewies and Ole Klose, and has grown primarily organically and through selective acquisitions rather than external capital.

Name

Krone International Inc.

Legal name

Bernard KRONE Holding SE & Co. KG

Website

https://krone-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Krone International Inc. is a family-owned German industrial group manufacturing agricultural machinery (mowers, balers, forage harvesters) and commercial vehicle trailers, serving farmers, agricultural contractors, and logistics fleets across Europe and select international markets through direct sales, dealers, and strategic partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Machinery & Commercial Vehicles

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Truck Trailers (3715)

akta.pro primary industry

Harvesting & Forage Equipment (IMAHACAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural machinery
• Commercial vehicles
• Trailer manufacturing
• Forage harvesting equipment
• Agricultural logistics solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Spelle

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Machinery Sales: Manufacture and sale of agricultural equipment including mowers, tedders, rakes, balers, and forage harvesters. Revenue generated through direct sales and dealer networks.
2. Commercial Vehicle Sales: Production and sale of trailers, semi-trailers, and commercial vehicles including refrigerated trailers. Part of KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group.
3. Spare Parts and Services: Aftermarket sales of spare parts for both agricultural machinery and commercial vehicles through dedicated parts distribution.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Krone International Inc. (Bernard KRONE Holding SE & Co. KG) manufactures agricultural machinery — including mowers, tedders, rakes, balers, and forage harvesters — and commercial vehicle trailers, semi-trailers, and refrigerated trailers. The group also offers agricultural logistics solutions through partnerships with Knapen, AgriTruck, and Schwarzmüller, and is developing electric trailer (eTrailer) technology for sustainable tractor-trailer systems.

Product overview

KRONE is a German family-owned industrial group with two core divisions: Agricultural Machinery (Landtechnik) and Commercial Vehicles (Nutzfahrzeuge). The Agricultural Machinery division produces farm equipment including combines, forage harvesters, balers, and mowers. The Commercial Vehicle Group, consolidated through mergers and acquisitions including Knapen (2019) and Brüggen (2015), manufactures trailers, semi-trailers, and refrigerated trucks. KRONE also offers agri-logistics solutions through partnerships and develops electric trailer technology (eTrailer). The group operates manufacturing facilities in Spelle, Werlte, Haselünne, Herzlake, Dinklage, Lübtheen (Germany), and Tire (Turkey), with approximately 7,000 employees serving customers in multiple countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Maschinenfabrik Bernard KRONE: Agricultural machinery division of KRONE
• Fahrzeugwerk Bernard KRONE

Products and services

• KRONE Agricultural Machinery (Landtechnik) Agricultural machinery division producing farm equipment including combines, forage harvesters, balers, mowers, tedders, and rakes for farming operations and forage harvesting. One of the leading manufacturers of agricultural equipment in Germany.
• KRONE Commercial Vehicles (Nutzfahrzeuge) Commercial vehicle division manufacturing trailers, semi-trailers, and bodywork for trucks, including refrigerated trailers, curtain-sided trailers, and container chassis for transport companies and logistics providers.
• Knapen Trailers Dutch trailer manufacturer specializing in walking floor trailers and agricultural logistics solutions, acquired by KRONE in 2019 and now part of the KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group.
• Brüggen Trailers Trailer manufacturer merged with KRONE in 2015 to form the KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group, specializing in commercial trailers and contributing to the production portfolio at the Herzlake and Lübtheen facilities.
• Gigant Trailers Trailer manufacturer that joined the KRONE Group in 2012, contributing to the product portfolio and commercial vehicle manufacturing capabilities, based at the Dinklage production facility.
• KRONE Refrigerated Trailers Refrigerated trailers for temperature-controlled freight transport, produced as part of the KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group product line for cold-chain logistics operators.
• KRONE Spare Parts and Aftermarket Services Aftermarket sales of spare parts for both agricultural machinery and commercial vehicles through dedicated parts distribution channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved positive result despite challenging economic conditions including trade barriers and Ukraine war
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and innovation.

• SchwarzmüllercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Schwarzmüller became a strategic partner in the KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group in 2024. This partnership strengthens KRONE's position in the commercial vehicle segment and expands their agrilogistics capabilities.
• Knapen GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group acquired the Dutch Knapen Group in 2019, integrating their trailer and commercial vehicle expertise into the group.
• BrüggencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015KRONE and Brüggen merged in 2015 to form the KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group, combining expertise in commercial vehicle manufacturing.
• Gigant GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Gigant GmbH joined the KRONE Group in 2012, expanding manufacturing capabilities.
• FernrideinnovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerFernride develops world-leading human-machine collaboration technology for automated sustainable logistics. Partnership focuses on remote yard trucking solutions.
• ag-forceinnovationStrategic or Co-development PartnerContractor software (Lohnunternehmer Software) partner providing solutions for agricultural contractors and service providers.
• recalminnovationTechnology or IntegrationRetroittable infotainment system for driver workstations in construction, agricultural and forestry machines.
• Trailer DynamicsinnovationTechnology or IntegrationTechnology innovator for heavy commercial vehicles, developing eTrailer for efficient and sustainable tractor-trailer system power.
• VisometryinnovationTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for industrial augmented reality and computer vision solutions for KRONE operations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• John Deere: Largest global agricultural machinery OEM. Competes with Krone across multiple categories and increasingly in precision agriculture software/services — a benchmark for the software-attached equipment model Krone is moving toward.
• CNH Industrial (Case IH / New Holland): Global agricultural and construction equipment OEM with Case IH and New Holland brands. Overlaps with Krone in hay/forage and broader farm machinery categories but operates at significantly larger scale and geographic breadth.
• AGCO Corporation: Global, multi-brand (Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Valtra) agricultural equipment manufacturer. A much larger broad incumbent that competes with Krone in tractors, hay tools and combines, but with a far broader product portfolio and global dealer network.

Emerging players

• Fliegl Agrartechnik: German-based manufacturer of agricultural transport trailers, slurry technology and spreading equipment. Smaller and more specialized than Krone but increasingly competitive in agri-logistics — a segment where Krone's AgriLogistics strategy competes.

Direct peers

• CLAAS: German-based, family-owned agricultural machinery manufacturer and Krone's closest direct peer in forage harvesting, balers, mowers and combines. Competes head-to-head across Europe in the same equipment categories Krone leads in.
• Kögel Trailer: German trailer OEM specializing in semi-trailers, refrigerated bodies and container chassis — overlapping directly with Krone's commercial vehicle product lines and serving the same European logistics customers.
• Schmitz Cargobull: Europe's largest trailer manufacturer and the most direct competitor to Krone's Commercial Vehicle Group in semi-trailers, refrigerated trailers and curtainsiders. Operates in the same European dealer footprint as Krone.
• Pöttinger: Austrian family-owned agricultural machinery manufacturer specializing in hay/forage equipment, tillage and seeding — overlapping directly with Krone's Landtechnik core product range across Europe.
• Wielton: Polish-based trailer manufacturer with a broad European product range (curtainsiders, tippers, refrigerated trailers). Directly comparable to Krone's CVG product portfolio and a frequent bidder in the same European fleet tenders.
• KUHN Group: French-based, global agricultural machinery manufacturer specializing in hay/forage tools, tillage, seeding and crop protection. Direct competitor in many of the same product categories Krone serves, with comparable European manufacturing footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

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 Krone International Inc.