2009

After a record year in 2008, the worldwide market for agricultural machinery suffered significant declines in some areas. The VDMA (German Engineering Federation) estimates that industry turnover dropped by 25% in 2009. Highly volatile markets for agricultural products along with the worldwide financial crisis and recession created uncertainty in the minds of farmers causing them to hold back on investment. Against this background, the sales of the CLAAS Group declined 10.4% to €2.9 billion. Profit before tax was €112.3 million. Although this was 54.7% below the value from the previous year, this still represents a respectable result within the industry. Furthermore, CLAAS was able to maintain or even improve its market position in important markets.

Harsewinkel/Berlin;   Helmut Claas, shareholder and chairman of the supervisory board of the CLAAS Group, was appointed a Knight of the French Legion of Honour. The French ambassador to Germany, Bernard de Montferrand, honoured the achievements of Helmut Claas as a pioneer of Franco-German cooperation in a celebration held at the French Embassy in Berlin, emphasising the important role of both countries in the integration of Europe.

When it comes to the narrow-track tractors used in fruit and wine growing, farmers have very different requirements. For this purpose, CLAAS has developed the new NEXOS range which not only offers high performance and economy, but also comes with a wide range of equipment options. This way, every farmer can configure his tractor to suit his specific needs.

Compact, mobile and powerful, the new ELIOS tractor has been developed by CLAAS to meet individual customer requirements, making the ELIOS ideal for livestock farmers, grassland farmers and vegetable farmers alike. The ELIOS will also be suitable for customers outside the farming sector where there is demand for smaller tractors up to 100 HP.

CLAAS has pooled its range of electronics expertise and given it a new name: Efficient Agriculture Systems” – “EASY” in short – is the generic term as of now used for all computer-assisted systems and programs for agricultural planning and operation.

Flash lightning like for an Oscar award could be seen on the CLAAS stand the evening before the Agritechnica. The star was a brand new XERION generation: XERION 5000 with 524 hp and XERION 4500 with 483 hp.

CLAAS presents its two new XERION 5000 and 4500 models for the first time at the Agritechnica 2009 trade fair. In addition to the two XERION 3800 and 3300 models in the "400 hp and under" class, CLAAS has extended its range of tractors with two new models ranging to over 500 hp.

CLAAS has now added a telescopic loader to its range which meets the growing demand for a powerful, yet compact, machine. The new SCORPION 6030 CP has the right dimensions and power to ideally supplement the model range of telescopic loaders for farm and indoor work.

Innovations from CLAAS receive top awards at the Agritechnica 2009 trade fair. With two gold medals and one silver medal, CLAAS leads the German agricultural engineering industry.

There have been some new additions to the CLAAS tractor range: with the ARION 400 model series, the ARION 410, ARION 420 and ARION 430 are now making their debut in the field and on the farm. With six engine variants, the new compact tractors from CLAAS cover the power range from 100 hp / 66 kW to 130 hp / 92 kW (R24  ISO TR 14396).

The new VARIO 1200 variable cutterbar has a 12-metre cutting width - providing a previously unattainable harvesting output. The VARIO concept turns this cutterbar into a combine harvester implement with all-round capabilities. The cutterbar can be converted from cereal to rape seed threshing within a very short space of time.

With the introduction of the TUCANO family of combine harvesters, CLAAS has created a revolution in the upper middle-class category of machines. The revolution now continues in this class of combine harvesters. The HYBRID SYSTEM, a threshing technology from Claas which combines the APS tangential threshing system with the ROTO PLUS residual grain separation system, is now also available on the TUCANO.

A new round baler from the CLAAS factory in Metz has been launched on the market. The ROLLANT 454/455 produces a bale size of 1.25 m x 1.20 m and stands out due to its high performance capabilities, exceptional bale density and maximum reliability. This refined version of the ROLLANT baler will prove especially beneficial where very moist crops are harvested in difficult conditions.  

In order to ensure a uniform level of dry matter, swather technology for professional forage harvesting has to be adapted to mowers of increasing width and power. This is why the CLAAS large 4-rotor swathers have been able to progressively establish themselves on the market, especially in the area of large-scale harvesting across multiple farms.

15 years ago, CLAAS introduced its own disc mowers onto the market for the first time. Since then, the company has continued to extend its range of machinery for grass and lucerne harvesting manufacturered at its Bad Saulgau site in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company today has one of the largest product ranges on the market. The DISCO range of disc mowers from CLAAS includes mowers with working widths ranging from 2.10 m to 14 m, making them ideal for both small farms which operate their own machinery or professional users of large equipment harvesting on multiple farms.

CLAAS has added a new product segment to its range: the combi-wagon or dual-use wagon. On the one hand, this type of wagon can be used as a fully functional self-loading rotary wagon and, on the other, as a sturdy forage wagon for the grass or maize harvest.

A new model of Claas combine harvester is rolling out into the field, the AVERO 240. This compact combine harvester fits perfectly into the power category between the Dominator 150 and TUCANO 320. It has been designed especially for businesses which operate their own machinery.

Posen/Harsewinkel, August 2009 – Dom Handlowy Korbanków (DHK), the Polish importer of CLAAS products, and CLAAS will be going their separate ways with regard to sales, service and parts beginning in autumn 2010. During the transition period, DHK will continue to act as CLAAS importer.

The agricultural and farm machinery sectors have been undergoing a major process of professionalisation in Slovakia for years. Many farmers and contractors choose to rely on harvesting machines and tractors from CLAAS. The family-owned company from Germany has now reorganised and expanded the arrangements for the import of its machines to Slovakia.

Festive celebrations in India: The 3000^th CROP TIGER 30 with TERRA TRAC was presented to its new owner. The CROP TIGER combine harvester is increasingly becoming a model for success on the Indian subcontinent.

Introducing the trendy Retro look. The new CLAAS Retro collection offers you casual fashion with suitable accessories and stunning lifestyle articles for everyone.

With its new DISCO Contour series, CLAAS presents an array of new models ranging from the 2.60m mounted mower to the 9.10m front-mounted triple mowers. Technology previously exclusive to the COUGAR 1400 self-propelled mower is now available for the first time in mounted mower units.

Combine harvesters equipped with the CLAAS HYBRID SYSTEM deliver maximum throughput and optimal harvesting quality. The 11,111^th CLAAS combine harvester with HYBRID SYSTEM, a LEXION 600, has now been delivered to its new owner, Agrar und Umwelt AG Loberaue – a farming business affiliated to the Südzucker Group near Leipzig. In addition to its LEXION 580, the farm now operates two CLAAS LEXION 600 combine harvesters with 10.5-metre-wide VARIO cutterbars that guarantee maximum productivity and economy.