CLAAS

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CLAAS KGaA mbH

Type	KGaA mbH
Founded	1913
Headquarters	Harsewinkel, Germany
Key people	Dr. Theo Freye, Speaker of the Executive Board
Industry	Agricultural machinery, Agriculture
Revenue	€ million 2.658,9 EUR (2007)
Employees	8.425 (2007)
Slogan	Your Harvesting Specialist
Website	claas.com

CLAAS LEXION combine

CLAAS combine harvester

CLAAS hay racke

CLAAS tractor, CLAAS forage harvester

CLAAS is an agricultural machinery manufacturer based in Harsewinkel / Germany in the region of North Rhine Westphalia. CLAAS agricultural products are usually sold under the CLAAS name, except in North America where CLAAS combines are distributed as LEXION combines by Caterpillar dealers. The CLAAS product range includes combine harvesters, forage harvesters, balers, mowers, rakes, tedders and other harvesting machines. In 2004, CLAAS purchased the Renault Agricultural division from the France-based Renault company. In fiscal year 2006, sales of the CLAAS Group rose 8.1% to €2,351.0 million.

1 History
2 Products
3 External links

History

The start of the illustrious CLAAS empire took place in 1913, when August Claas developed the company in Clarholz, Germany. In 1919, the business was transferred to Harsewinkel, Germany, where the company focused on the production of reapers. Two years later the company captured their first patent – for a knotter that efficiently binded straw. In 1930, the first Harvester was developed with the European market in mind with the first Pick-up Baler following in 1934.

1913 CLAAS was founded by August Claas Clarholz/Germany
1919 CLAAS moved to Harsewinkel/Germany. The production of reapers started.
1921 First CLAAS patent for a knotter for efficient straw binding.
1930 Develoment of the first CLAAS combine harvester binders for the european market.
1934 Manufacture of the first CLAAS pick-up baler.
1936 CLAAS markets the first combine harvester built in Europe.
1937 The volume production of trailed combine harvester (reaper-binder) starts.
1946 Construction of the first CLAAS self-propelled combine harvester.
1956 New factory opened in Paderborn/Germany
1962 CLAAS opens first factory outside Germany – in Metz/France.
1969 CLAAS purchases Josef Bautz, (agri- cultural machinery factory), the product range expands to include green harvest machinery.
1971 Development of a pick-up sugar cane harvester.
1973 Presentation of the first self- propelled forage harvester.
1976 Introducion of the first CLAAS round baler ROLLANT.
1983 Introducion of JAGUAR self-propelled forage harvesters.
1988 CLAAS presents QUADRANT, the first CLAAS large-square baler.
1994 Start of development of AGROCOM a computer based, satellite-assisted, agricultural information system.
1995 CLAAS introduces the LEXION combine, the most powerful combine in the world (up to 40 tonnes of grain per hour).
2001 CLAAS Omaha/COL opened in 2001 and starts to produce the LEXION combine series. North American LEXION combines are distributed as CAT LEXION by Caterpillar dealers.
2003 CLAAS acquires RENAULT Agriculture and expands its product range with tractors.
2005 CLAAS open a new factory in Krasnodar in South Russia. Launch of Lexion 600 Combine
2006 CLAAS manufacture the 80,000th ROLLANT baler, and launch of the Axion tractor
2007 CLAAS launch Tucano combine, larger Jaguar from 630hp - 830hp, Arion Tractor 112hp- 175hp and larger Xerion 379hp