Ludwig Bergmann GmbH, better known as Bergmann, is celebrating its 70th year developing and manufacturing universal spreaders.

Based in Lower Saxony in Germany, the manufacturer describes itself as a medium-sized, family run business now in its third generation.

The firm has over 125 years of experience producing agricultural machinery under its belt. The company has a large product offering, such as manure spreaders, wagons, forage transport trailers, body swap systems, transfer trailers, beet transfer trailers and bodies for self-propelled vehicles.

The Bergmann M70 manure spreader with the L100 semi-portal add-on loader.

Spreaders

The success story of Bergmann spreaders began in 1954 with the M50, M60 and M70. These three spreaders were equipped with one or two horizontal tine beaters and had a gross weight of 2.5t or 3t. The M70 was succeeded in 1959 by the M75, which had a gross weight of 3.5t and was, like the M50 and M60, built until the early 1960s.

In 1960, the range was extended with the semi-portal add-on loader L100, which loaded dung, straw, hay and more, which the company said allowed a more versatile use of the manure spreaders.

In 1962, the first spreaders were joined by the M series, consisting of the five-dung spreaders and multi-purpose trailer models M42 to M82. These had a higher load volume, a gross weight of 2.2 to 3.5t and a single- or twin-axle chassis.

To increase the scope of use of the M62, M72 and M82 series spreaders and multipurpose wagons, the AL 10 add-on loader was developed that allowed grass, straw, beet foliage and more to be loaded.

The first Bergmann manure spreader, the M50, in a 1955 brochure.

In the late 1960s, the M92 with a gross weight of 5.7 or 6.5t joined the series, and in the early 1970s, the twin-axle M 102 with 7.1t gross weight. From the mid-1980s, the M92 was also available as a tandem spreader with spring suspension.

Three spreader units were available for the series: a tine spreader unit (M42 and M52); an auger spreader unit (from M62) with two horizontal beaters each (passage height 600 to 850 mm) and a spreading width of approx. 2m; and a wide spreading unit with three vertical tine beaters and a spreading width of 4 to 5m.

From the late 1970s, the M92 was available with the SG spreader unit with two horizontal beaters and a passage height of 1,100 mm.

The AL 10 add-on loader made the Bergmann manure spreader more versatile.

The Bergmann product range of manure spreaders in the mid-1960s. The M 82 was a twin-axle version.

The 1970s

In the early and mid-1970s, the five models M42, M52, M62, M72 and M82 were succeeded by the six models M44, M54, M64, M64 S, M74 and M84. These featured a higher load volume (4.9 to 7.5m³), a larger track width, larger tyres and a higher gross weight (3.1 to 5.7t) than their predecessors. Like the M92 and M102, they were built until around 1990.

The Bergmann M 74 manure spreader with two-beater auger spreader unit.

In the 1980s, a new generation of spreaders was born with the single-axle models M450, M550, M600 and M700 SG as well as the tandem models M800 GTA, M1200 and M1600 with spring suspension. They had a gross weight of 4.5 to 16t and were equipped with a two-beater auger spreader unit as standard. Starting with the M700 introduced in 1994, the spreaders were fitted with steel side walls.

The Bergmann M 92 TA – shown here with side wall extensions – was the first manure spreader with a tandem chassis.

With the single-axle TSW 700 and the tandem model TSW 800, the first universal spreaders joined the range in 1991. Both featured a two-beater milling unit with a passage of 1,250mm and a disk spreader unit. The new universal spreaders allowed spreading widths of up to 22m and precision placement of other materials beside stable manure.

In the mid-90s, the first series of Bergmann spreaders with a steel body was introduced.

The 1990s

Throughout the 1990s, the range of manure and universal spreaders was continually expanded, with models like the M/TSW 1614, 1814 and 1821 with a gross weight of up to 18t and load volumes of up to 21m³. The spreader passage of 1,400 mm (M spreader) or 1,350 mm (spreader units with two horizontal beaters) on the M/TSW 1614 and 1814 allowed constantly increasing throughput rates.

In 1994, the Pilotbox for spreaders was introduced. Used to this day with slight modifications, it allows convenient operation of the spreader via a central operator box. Before that, it could be operated only via the control units of the tractor.

From 1995, Bergmann has been using only 14 x 50 mm round-link steel chains as scraper floor chains. With a breaking load of 25t per chain, the manufacturer claims that this remains the benchmark for scraper floor durability to this day.

Bergmann produces universal spreaders since 1991. Seen here in the field is one of the first universal spreaders, the TSW 800.

At the end of 1996, the first spreader with a body width of 2,050mm was introduced – the TSW 1818 S. This model was only available as a universal spreader with a milling unit passage of 1,350mm and spreader disks with a 1,000mm diameter.

In 1998, the Vario body swap chassis joined the product family, allowing the use of a range of bodies, such as spreaders, forage harvesters, tanks or tippers with just a single chassis. This was also the start of chassis with hydraulic axle compensation, tridem chassis, and mounted weighing systems for spreaders.

The Bergmann M 1614 SX manure spreader in action in 1997, equipped with the prototype SX spreader unit with a passage of 1,400 mm.

Thanks to a new optional feature introduced in 1999, the electromagnetic ME control panel, which was introduced with the TSW 1818 S in 1996, was now connectible to the UNI-Control S automatic spread rate control system.

In 2001, the TSW 1414 S was the first spreader on the market with a conical all-steel bin and the new, modern design used to this day.

The 2000s

In 2001, the first spreaders with conical all-steel bin were produced. The firm says this bin had many advantages over bins with parallel side walls: reduced side wall wear, a reduced power demand from the tractor, no material compaction and blockages in front of the milling or spreader unit, reduced stress on the scraper floor chains and drive, and an improved spreading pattern. The conical all-steel bin was available on M/TSW 1414 S spreaders and higher.

Bergmann’s first self-propelled machine: Mercedes Actros with the TSW A 19 spreader body.

The universal spreaders’ two-beater milling units now had a passage of 1,350mm. From the TSW 1414, a three-beater milling unit with a passage of 1,800mm was optionally available. The TSW 1818 S was succeeded by the M/TSW 2020 and M/TSW 1616.

In 2005, Bergmann presented the TSW A 19 spreader body at the Agritechnica. Mounted on a Mercedes Actros, it was the first self-propelled machine with GPS control for exact spreading.

The TSW 2140 E low-bed universal spreader in action.

At the Agritechnica 2009, Bergmann presented its new M 1080 manure spreader and the TSW 6230 S with hydraulic chassis for the first time. The TSW A 33 spreader body on the Holmer Terra Variant with GPS-controlled exact spreading was also exhibited at the trade fair. Another innovation presented at the Agritechnica 2009 was the futureproof IsoBus operation.

The TSW 6240 W universal spreader with its wide V-Spread spreading unit is capable of working widths of up to 36 m.

In 2011, Bergmann conducted fleet testing in cooperation with the DLG. Five manure and universal spreaders received the DLG quality seal for very good or good “stable manure distribution quality” and “stable manure and compost distribution quality”.

When the new M 2120 manure spreader was presented at the Agritechnica in 2011, it had already received its DLG quality seal.

In 2015, the TSW 5210 W weighing spreader was introduced, later followed by the TSW 6240 W and the TSW 7340 S weighing spreaders. Prior to that, combinations of Vario chassis and spreader body equipped with weighing systems were already available as custom-builds.

The M 2140 E low-bed manure spreader with the 2-Spread hybrid spreader unit.

At the Agritechnica 2017, Bergmann presents its first low-bed spreader, the TSW 2140 E. With its unique design, featuring an 1,800 mm wide bin and large VF 480/95 R50 tyres, this model stands out from its competition and from conventional low-bed spreader designs with a narrow bin and smaller wheels.

The highlight at the Agritechnica 2019 was the new, patented V-Spread wide spreading unit, which can be identified by its arrangement of spreader disks in a V-shape perpendicular to the direction of travel and which allows working widths of up to 36 m, depending on the material. V-Spread is available for the spreader models TSW 2140 E, TSW 5210 S/W, TSW 6240 S/W and TSW 7340 S.

Also new in the range was the two-spread hybrid spreader unit with its two large, vertical beaters, used on the M 2140 E low-bed manure spreader. Two-spread was developed to provide a high spreading quality at a superior throughput rate with the wide working width of this type of spreader unit. From the following year, two-spread was also available for the new spreaders M 5210 S/W to M 7340 S.

The highlight at the Agritechnica 2023 was the Bergmann Xpert 5.24 demonstrator. This kicked off the new Xpert generation of Bergmann spreaders, whose design was based on a new concept and which are set to be gradually introduced to the market starting in autumn 2025.

The new Bergmann Xpert series also marks the introduction of the IsoBus TIM for organic fertiliser spreaders, which implements two functions: SpeedControl for adapting the spread rate by varying the tractor’s driving speed while maintaining a constant scraper floor speed; and PTOControl, which offers different options for accessing the tractor’s PTO shaft.

The demonstrator of the Bergmann Xpert 5.24 at the Agritechnica 2023.