Special conversion for plant protection.

"Our Dammann conversion is exactly tailored to our needs," explains Simon Plöhn-Peper, head of foreign trade at ATR. "We chose the high-mobility Unimog with a long wheelbase. On the one hand, this allowed us to have the largest possible tank with a capacity of 4,400 l fitted; on the other hand, we often have to operate on difficult terrain." ATR Landhandel therefore opted for 495/70 R24 tyres.

"Thus we had to make no compromises in the configuration of this highly flexible self-propelled sprayer with a 36 m working width," adds Simon Plöhn-Peper. "Within a radius of up to 60 km around our storage site in Kröpelin in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania we operate the sprayer as a service provider for our customers. The Unimog is also a great asset in our fleet for covering longer distances thanks to its speed."

For decades ATR has relied on the Unimog. Simon Plöhn-Peper recalls: "There were times when we had more than ten Unimog in use at the same time."

ATR Landhandel is one of the largest owner-managed companies specialising in traditional agricultural trading and compound feed production. 800 employees generate annual turnover of just under one billion euros. The company operates in Denmark, Germany and Poland and has served around 15,000 farmers since its foundation in 1999. Also online: the subsidiary myAGRAR is an online shop for agriculture with a huge range of crop protection products and seed. Farmers can order their crop production inputs around the clock and have them delivered throughout Germany.

Regional services, such as spraying, are carried out by Simon Plöhn-Peper's 130-strong team. They also ensure the operation of more than 80 storage locations.

Under the motto "We live agriculture", ATR — formed from the family companies Arp, Thordsen and Rautenberg as a powerful partner for farmers — has developed into a highly modern and agile service provider. The roots of the individual family companies go back to the 19th century. Six proprietary compound feed mills with an annual production of 985,000 t, its own shipping company with four seagoing vessels, ten port locations and a large logistics fleet make ATR an absolute heavyweight in the industry.

"Our customer is also our supplier," explains Simon Plöhn-Peper. "We are strong in grain and oilseed procurement. Farmers supply us directly from the field. We have also had very good experiences with the Unimog in logistics. Unimog U 400 combinations with two 18‑t trailers are regularly used by us."

The Unimog U 5023, converted by Dammann in close cooperation with the Unimog general representative Sietrac and with 231 hp, has its peak season twice a year. In spring and autumn, this machine is all about crop protection. Around 8,000 hectares are managed with it.

Occasionally the Unimog is also used in a combination: a Bredal K105 single-axle towed spreader with hydraulic drive, 10,000-litre capacity and an 18-metre working width is towed behind the Unimog for spreading lime and granular fertiliser. "A two-metre incline is, for us in the far north, almost an alpine obstacle," chuckles Simon Plöhn-Peper. "Even in such conditions, we rely fully on the Unimog."