AGROLAB News

When we look back on 40 years of AGROLAB GROUP today, we inevitably end up in April 1986. It was the birth of a company that was never planned on the drawing board. To kick off our anniversary series, we take a look behind the scenes and talk to the man who has shaped AGROLAB from the very beginning: Dr. Paul Wimmer.

Coincidence as the starting signal in Oberhummel

In 1986, Paul Wimmer actually only wanted to complete his doctorate at the Institute for Plant Production in Weihenstephan. His topic was computer-assisted fertiliser planning, which was nothing short of a minor revolution in agriculture at the time. However, there was simply not enough data available for digital planning. Government laboratories were very conservative and slow at the time. Results often arrived months after sampling, which was far too late for precise advice.

His professor then asked him a pragmatic question: whether he could set up a laboratory "on the side" to collect the data himself. Paul Wimmer, who already had laboratory experience, agreed. It all began in Oberhummel, equipped with second-hand laboratory equipment.

"It was never my plan to start a big company here. But it was one of those important moments in life: coincidence and opportunity. I seized the opportunity." (Paul Wimmer)

IT as the foundation from the very beginning

What set AGROLAB apart from the competition from the very beginning was its consistent focus on information technology. Since Paul Wimmer wrote his scientific thesis on the interface between science and IT, digitalisation was not just a modern buzzword for us, but the actual core of our business from the very beginning. While other laboratories were still laboriously stamping forms, we were already focusing on digital efficiency.

"Back then, IT-based consulting was still something special. We needed the data quickly in order to make the idea of digital fertiliser planning feasible in the first place." (Paul Wimmer)

This technological advantage allowed us to analyse samples faster and more accurately than established competitors. The small laboratory for agricultural testing quickly became a sought-after partner – first in Bavaria, and from 1992 onwards, with the establishment of the Oberdorla site, and later with the acquisition of the Koldingen soil testing institute in 1999, far beyond regional borders.

Why independence is our most important currency

If you ask Paul Wimmer today about the greatest success of the last 40 years, he doesn’t talk about sales figures. He talks about freedom. The AGROLAB GROUP has remained a family business that deliberately avoids external capital. We finance our development and our state-of-the-art laboratories from our own resources and remain independent of external investors.

“Independence gives us the stability we need. We don’t have to ask a financial investor whether we are allowed to invest. Here in Landshut, we decide what is right for our customers and our employees in the long term.” (Dr. Paul Wimmer)

In an industry that is often driven by short-term profit interests, Paul Wimmer focuses on continuity. For him, values such as reliability and a strong sense of responsibility are not something to be sold after a few years – they form the backbone of the company.

A look back and responsibility for tomorrow

In four decades, the original agricultural laboratory has become a European player. Despite this growth, the company has remained modest. Paul Wimmer is now working hard to pass on this special AGROLAB culture to the next generation of leaders.

"We communicate with our customers on an equal footing and we are open about our mistakes. For me, that is the core of true sustainability." (Paul Wimmer)