AGROLAB News

There are stories that, in retrospect, sound almost too logical to be true. The history of the AGROLAB GROUP is one such story. It began in 1986, not in a glass office tower, but in Oberhummel. Between the Isar floodplains and hop gardens, Paul Wimmer laid the foundation stone for a company in a former school that has become an integral part of European analytics today. 40 years of AGROLAB – that is the story of Bavarian down-to-earthness and the courage to take matters into your own hands.

In the mid-1980s, soil sampling was still organised by the state. Farmers who wanted to know the condition of their fields needed a lot of patience; delivery times of several months were the norm. Paul Wimmer, then a doctoral student in Weihenstephan, saw this not as an obstacle, but as a gap in the market. His professor had the idea for digital fertiliser planning, but there was a lack of up-to-date data. The task was as pragmatic as it was far-reaching: he was to set up a laboratory "on the side."

This project quickly became a lifelong mission. AGROLAB hit the ground running with second-hand equipment. From the very beginning, IT was the heartbeat of the operation, not just a tool. While others were still stamping paper forms, we were already focusing on digital efficiency. During this time, a principle was established that still sets us apart from many competitors today: We invest in substance. We own our laboratory technology instead of relying on external financing. This financial freedom allows us to make decisions directly at our headquarters in Landshut. Paul Wimmer describes this DNA as follows:

"Independence brings stability and freedom when you don't have to ask the bank for permission."

A team that lives consistency

A company does not grow through concepts, but through people who carry them forward over the years. Torsten Zurmühl joined the company in 1997 as a geoecologist to advance digital data processing. IT was already our foundation back then, but he has consistently developed it into the process reliability we have today. The fact that, after almost 30 years, he is now responsible as Managing Director for both IT and the agriculture division is indicative of our culture. He particularly values the clear principles in dealing with employees and customers:

“We communicate on an equal footing, rely on short decision-making paths and absolute reliability. These are the elements that our employees and customers value.”

Stability as a basis for growth

Since 2012, Michael Witiska has been ensuring that our growth is built on a solid foundation as Commercial Managing Director. He came to us from the large-scale industry because he was looking for a job with real social relevance. Analytics for clean water and safe food gave him this sense of purpose. With the discipline of a former competitive swimmer, he has structured the group's finance and purchasing departments. It is important to him that AGROLAB remains a family business that thinks in terms of generations:

"Our strategy is long-term – our values will not be sold off after five years."

Internationalisation with a sense of proportion

Our expansion into Europe does not follow a rigid plan, but rather the needs of our markets. Benoist Lasserre has been steering this course since 2019. A current highlight is the construction of the first company-owned environmental laboratory building in France. The fact that AGROLAB operates across national borders is evident whenever it matters – for example, when an international task force provides support at a site at short notice. Benoist Lasserre sees this as confirmation of our identity:

"We are not growing just to have as many flags as possible on the map, but because it makes strategic sense."

Outlook

Today, the AGROLAB GROUP is a European player that has never forgotten its roots in Oberhummel. We are proud of what we have achieved, but remain modest and willing to learn. It is this combination of Bavarian reliability and technological leadership that drives us forward. At every location, we are the AGROLAB GROUP: down-to-earth, independent, and technologically leading.