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History of origin

The merger of ATR Landhandel and Beiselen in 2021 transformed two independent family businesses with headquarters in Ratzeburg and Ulm into BAT Agrar GmbH & Co. KG. With many years of company history, BAT Agrar has developed into a broad-based and leading private agricultural trading company with branches in Germany, Denmark, Poland and Austria.

1851 to 1890
Foundation
A picture collage of two old buildings.

Founding of the companies of today's BAT shareholders: Beiselen, Arp, Thordsen

from 1950
Growth of the business

Intensification of business activities in the seed and crop protection divisions

from 1950
Orientation

Intensification of agriculture through crop protection, fertilisers and seeds

1980er
Investments and start of a business relationship
An aerial view of the company building from the Husum site.

Investments in regional expansion and start of the business relationship between ATR and Beiselen

1990er
New market and merger to form ATR Landhandel

Reunification, development of the East German market with nationwide coverage and merger to form ATR Landhandel

2000er
Market presence in agricultural trade

Development of ATR Landhandel into the largest private agricultural trader and of Beiselen into the largest private agricultural wholesaler with nationwide coverage

2015 to 2020
Structural change

Acceleration of structural change in agriculture and trade.

2021
Merger to form BAT Agrar

What belongs together comes together: merger of long-time companions to form BAT Agrar