In the 22 years during which Dr von Busse was at the company's helm, Lemken made great progress as a specialist supplier of soil cultivation, seed and plant protection technology. Today, more than 1000 Lemken staff generate sales in excess of EUR340 million, with exports accounting for more than 70%. Lemken's excellent market position, both in Germany and among European manufacturers, can be largely attributed to the great personal commitment of Dr Franz-Georg von Busse.
Having gained a doctorate in law, Dr von Busse started his career in the legal department of Siemens AG, Munich, then headed the sales departments of Deutz and Maho, a machine tool manufacturer. In September 1991, he joined Lemken and contributed his extensive experience and enthusiasm to this family company, which had a tradition going back 230 years. He was instrumental in reshaping Lemken's values across the entire company, away from traditional hierarchical structures and towards a cooperative, decentralised management style. Combined with his outstanding commitment to international sales activities, he thus set the course for Lemken's successful growth, and on this basis the company has been able to increase its sales volumes more than tenfold.
Dr Franz-Georg von Busse has also been one of the most distinctive and committed figures in agricultural technology. He was awarded the DLG Max Eyth Memorial Coin in silver for his contribution to German agricultural technology, including his role as chairman of the VDMA expert committee on agricultural technology and member of the DLG (German Agricultural Society). Dr von Busse also provided invaluable impetus through numerous honorary and voluntary positions, among others as member of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, the German-Ukrainian Cooperation Council, and the board of the European Agricultural Machinery Association (CEMA), as spokesperson for the board of the German Export Association for Food and Agri Products (GEFA), and as board member of and spokesperson for the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV).
