In constant development
1923 Establishment
Master blacksmith Dietrich Fricke founds the company in Heeslingen and moves into the first workshop one year later.
1953 – Blow of fate and passing on the torch
After the death of Dietrich Fricke, his 23-year-old son Wilhelm Fricke takes over the family business. With the sale of the first CLAAS combine harvesters, he participates in the further development of the harvesting market.
1966 – Things move forward
On July 1, 1966, the company moved to its current premises at "Zum Kreuzkamp 7" with a workshop, spare parts warehouse and office. The new location at the edge of the village of Heeslingen facilitates the long-term growth of the company.
1972 – That spare parts thing
The purchase of large quantities of spare parts from the discontinued Hanomag production in Hanover will significantly expand the business. The trade with spare parts makes the company internationally known.
1989 – Expansion of FRICKE Landmaschinen
In January 1989 Hans-Peter Fricke joined the company. After the fall of the wall, he sets up a new location near Demmin and founds FRICKE Landtechnik GmbH for business in East Germany.
1992 – A second passing on the torch
Wilhelm Fricke retires from active business life. He hands over the management of the company to his son Hans-Peter Fricke, who takes over the management together with Holger Wachholtz.
1993 – Two important representations
With the acquisition of the DAF and FIAT truck agency, the FRICKE Group has once again expanded its portfolio. The construction of a modern truck base as FRICKE Nutzfahrzuege in Heeslingen begins.
1996 – GRANIT PARTS expands, Gartenland takes the stage
The successful trade with spare parts leads to the introduction of the brand GRANIT PARTS. Under this name, the Europe-wide spare parts business is expanded and products are sold under a separate brand. In order to push the business further, the construction of new warehouses in Heeslingen begins.
In the same year, Gartenland GmbH also appears nationwide as a wholesale business for garden and municipal technology with its first own catalogue.
2000 – Hello SAPHIR!
SAPHIR Maschinenbau GmbH is founded. It takes over the design, production and sales of agricultural and municipal technology according to customer requirements within the FRICKE Group.
2001 – Internationalisation and expansion
The trade with spare parts has developed successfully in the last years. However, this has brought with it logistical challenges above all.
GRANIT PARTS expands its economic activities also abroad. By establishing the first foreign branches in the Netherlands and Austria, the company opens up a great potential for growth. The expansion of GRANIT PARTS now extends to the entire continent. The company consists of 19 national subsidiaries throughout Europe and is today globally networked through purchasing offices and good relationships.
2012 – Logistical challenges
With the opening of the new logistics centre for GRANIT PARTS, the floor space in Heeslingen will grow to over 50,000 square meters.
GRANIT continues to grow and opens branches in Spain, Romania, Slovenia, Denmark and Switzerland.
2013 – A premiere in Bremen and Bockel
The traditional Bremen company Hofmeister & Meincke was founded in 1908 by Friedrich Hofmeister and Richard Meincke. Today, as part of the FRICKE Group with 15 locations nationwide, the company is one of the leading wholesalers for commercial vehicle parts and vehicle construction components on the German market.
SAPHIR Maschinenbau and FRICKE Gebrauchtmaschinen move to their new location in Bockel directly on the A1. With its spacious exhibition areas, this new location will become the showcase of the FRICKE Group.
2014 – New locations for FRICKE Landmaschinen and Gartenland
FRICKE Landmaschinen continues to expand its presence in the Elbe-Weser region and in Eastern Germany. In total, the company is building six new locations this year. Three new locations will be opened in Soltau, Sulingen and Verden under the name FRICKE Landmaschinen and three locations in Steimbke, Neubrandenburg and Züssow under the name FRICKE Landtechnik. In addition, the company continues to expand with the takeover of Mecklenburger Landtechnik GmbH and takes over four more locations in Eastern Germany.
With 24 locations in northern and eastern Germany as well as in Poland, FRICKE Landmaschinen now has a comprehensive service network in agricultural technology.
Gartenland GmbH gets a new head office in Zeven including a representative sales room.
2019 – Equipping for the future
The company's new main building, the FRICKE Campus, is opened in Heeslingen. The modern building combines generous office space, variable event areas and a modern bistro. Thus, a new place for creative cooperation and open communication was created.
After 53 years, FRICKE Landmaschinen moves from the FRICKE Group's main location in Heeslingen to a newly built plant in the immediate vicinity. On 30,000 square meters, a main building with a modern workshop, a spare parts warehouse as well as a store and offices have been created.
TREX.PARTS is founded as a joint venture between the FRICKE Group and the Hamburg company Jungheinrich. In the future it will take over the wholesale trade with spare and wear parts for forklifts.
In addition, the FRICKE Group expands its portfolio in the commercial vehicle sector with the acquisition of Hoppe-Truck-Hydraulik GmbH & Co KG. In the future, the specialist in the area of truck hydraulics will supplement the group's spare parts range for commercial vehicles.
2020
Completion of the expansion of the GRANIT logistics centre in Heeslingen. With 90,000 m2 of floor space, it is the largest spare parts central warehouse in Europe.
2021
The FRICKE Group achieves its target of one billion in sales in the 2021 financial year for the first time.
2022
The FRICKE Group enters the US market with the acquisition of a spare parts specialist for tillage in the USA.
2023
The FRICKE Group celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Adrian and Philipp Fricke, the fourth generation of the family, have now also joined the company.
Today
Just as agriculture is always facing new challenges, the FRICKE Group has also constantly developed over the course of its existence: From a small village smithy to a globally active service company with a diverse range of products.
In 27 countries at 84 locations, the FRICKE Group is now successfully active in international trade with spare parts, agricultural machinery, commercial vehicles and garden technology. The owner-managed group of companies with headquarters in Heeslingen, Lower Saxony, employs 3,500 full-time employees worldwide, 269 of whom are trainees.