About Us | The Hansa Way

The Hansa Way

Established in 1981, Hansa Products are specialists in the design and manufacture of high quality chipping and shredding equipment. We are always looking for new ways to create a better chipping experience and our goal is to produce products that help you to ‘hansform’ your landscape like us – working faster, better and safer than ever before.

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Our Team

Martin Vogel

Managing Director

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Shiloh Armitage

Account Manager

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Our Reputation

Hansa Heritage

Founded by Manfred, the next generation of Hansforming is led by son Martin, inheriting his fathers ingenuity. Growing up alongside Hansa, Martin developed a passion for Engineering. And after following his father’s footsteps to complete an engineering degree, he officially joined Hansa in 2002, but has been involved in Hansa since day one.

Dependable for a Lifetime

Whether it’s a hired machine, a personal purchase or a business investment, we believe in providing the best chipping experience. That’s why our chippers come with a 3 year warranty on registration, and we have developed ongoing service and support systems to keep you chipping for a lifetime. As a testament to the pride that our customers feel for their chippers, we’ve met many long-time users who love their ‘Hansa’ and heard many great success stories over the years. Such is the workmanship and quality of our machines that we can still find working units of early model chippers that were made by Hansa 40 years ago.

Hansforming Landscapes

Making a Diﬀerence

As the second-generation owner and director, Martin has seen Hansa’s growth first-hand and found that many of Hansa’s best innovations came from listening to customers. That’s why at Hansa we make a point to ensure that everyone in the Hansa family – including staff and customers – makes
a difference. To this day, the design team works to involve customer feedback into every Hansa design.

Pride in Your Work

As proud as we are about the chippers we produce, we know they need to earn their keep while they’re in your hands. So, whether you’re tending your own gardens, working as a landscaper, a professional arborist or other commercial user, our chippers are all designed to make tough work enjoyable. It’s not just about getting the job done, but the experience of doing it well, and doing it better – using less time, less people, and having less down-time. Our customers are people like us, people who take pride in their work and have an appreciation for a job done well.

Forward Thinking

Sharper Production

As specialists in chippers, we must offer a superior product to ensure we remain competitive to mass manufacturers. That’s why all our machines are of our own design and use the latest manufacturing technologies in our engineering and production including: Solidworks 3D Design, CNC machining, Laser-cutting, CNC folding, Robot welding and in-house powder-coating facilities. Our dedication to production quality helps us stand apart from others and produce unmatched durability of finish.

Sustainable ambition

With the long lifespan of our products, our customers don’t buy replacements often. To maintain this quality our sustainable approach is to grow our exports so that more people can enjoy the very best chippers we can make – without compromise. We also believe in environmental sustainability. Our chippers are built to be as efficient as possible and are finished with a non-toxic surface. Our customers are people who believe in re-using their woodchip as mulch for a socially responsible approach to greenwaste that adds value back into the landscape.

Gallery

Founder Manfred Vogel
A 30 year old machine
Designed and manufactured in NZ

Milestones in our history

Origins of Hansa

While working as a mechanical engineer, founder Manfred Vogel saw a opportunity to develop garden chippers. The company he worked for wasn't interested in building chippers so he decided to start building his own and fulfill his dream of owning his own business.

Male standing next to tent. Founder of HANSA

Hansa's first home

With limited resources Manfred drew up his own designs at his kitchen counter and built his first chipper inside an old derelict honey shed in small town Ohaupo, New Zealand.

The First Hansa

Manfred's first design was a chipper shredder - affectionately called "the box" for its shape

Move to Grasslands Pl

Hansa grew, and required more space, so Hansa moved into a workshop at Grasslands Place, Hamilton

First Fieldays Tradeshow

Hansa attended their first Tradeshow - the National Fieldays - which is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere that still runs annually to this day.

First trade show is 1983. Man standing with hand painted signs

First workshop extension

With steady growth, Hansa soon required a building extension for more chipper shredders and workshop space.

First Hansa Drum Chipper

This drum chipper was soon followed by designs of larger diesel powered models designed for use by garden contractors.

First Export order to Australia

Hansa first export order, enabling Hansa's chipper shredders to be sold into Australia via a local distributor.

Old photo of young boy sitting with wood chippers to be exported

C6 Chipper

Demonstrated by the Vogel family, the C6 chipper is one of Hansa's most popular models - later superseded by the Hansa C7.

Old photo of family using wood chippers.

First Hydraulic Feed Chipper

Further developing their range, Hansa also started building hydraulic model chippers. The first is the Hansa C25, which is now superseded by the Hansa C27 chipper.

First C60

The first C60 was manufactured. In later years this machine was redeveloped to have a 10” capacity with additional features such as hydraulic winch and lift & crush.

Move to Tawn Place

Outgrowing the Grasslands Place Workshop, Hansa moves into a new Factory at Tawn Place Hamilton.

Hansa C7 release

The Hansa Model C7 was released. Ideal for the large gardener this machine has become one of our most popular models.

Waikato Business Awards

Winner in the Westpac Waikato Business Awards.

Netherlands Distribution

First exports to Europe with distribution through Angenendt BV in the Netherlands.

First Hansa C60RX

The remote controlled tracked C60rx was released. The T20 followed soon after allowing the best of both worlds – the C60rx can be used as a tracked machine or trailed machine on its trailer.

First container to Europe

Hansa's first container of EU model chippers sent to the Netherlands.

Photo of HANSA chipper in shipping container

Direct sales to Australia

Hansa establishes Brisbane based facilities and a local team to enable direct sales into Australia. Australian customers, can now enjoy full access to the Hansa range, including commercial machines that were previously unavailable through the local distributor, and dedicated support for our dealerships across the country.

Germany Distribution

Gartenland appointed as the Hansa distributor for Germany.

Global Headquarters

After 2 years of planning and 1 year of build, the Hansa team moves into its global headquarters. The new building is purpose built and designed to meet Hansa's growing export demands in both Australia and Europe.

UK Distribution

Henton & Chattel appointed as the Hansa distributor for United Kingdom & Ireland.

Hansa into Switzerland

Hansa products now sold into dealerships around Switzerland.

Swiss flag used as an image for article to show that Hansa Products are available in Switzerland

C5 Model Launched

Seen as the little brother of the C7, the C5 chipper is a great no-nonsense chipper launched across the globe for lifestyle users who are looking for a chipper with solid performance.

Deutz Powered C45, C65 & C65RX

The release of this new Deutz powered line superseded the popular C40, C60 & C60RX models to form the next generation of 7" & 10" commercial chippers.

Hansa C65RX chipping branches on trailer

Belgium, Netherlands & Luxemburg

By partnering with Van Dyke Marcel as our distributor based in Belgium, Hansa extends our reach in Europe to cover the Benelux region of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg.

Hansa chippers at a building site in Belgium

Hansa now into Switzerland

Hansa products now sold into dealerships around Switzerland.

Fire & Rebuild

On Saturday 12 February 2022, a significant fire broke out in our factory in Hamilton. Thankfully nobody was injured in the fire however our entire workshop was destroyed. Over the next 7 months, the HANSA production team was spread across up to 11 locations while demolition and rebuild work was completed at headquarters. We were able to return to headquarters in full in September 2022. The last stage of recovery is to rebuild the building that we lost in the fire in 2022. While this event has been an unexpected knockback, we have a resilient team that have a clear vision to come back stronger.

EEA becomes new distribution partner in Australia

Hansa cooperates with Tree Care Machinery (Earthmoving Equipment Australia Limited, EEA Group) for the distribution of the range of commercial HANSA chippers in Australia!

Hansa C65 wood chipper in a forest with the shoot in action and a person feeding tree branches into the front of the machine

Hansa Products establishes subsidiary in UK

The newly established Hansa Products UK Ltd. takes control of its operations post-Brexit, and will now directly distribute the Garden and Lifestyle range to retailers in UK and Ireland.

Final building handover

Final building handover from Waikato Construction Management Limited after three years of extension building and comprehensive refurbishment, including rebuilding the original building and reinstalling the office. While we are pleased that this chapter has now closed and we can look to the future again.

Hansa team standing together for a photographer after building upgrade completed by Waikato Construction Management Limited