2009

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. In his speech, he also expressed his support for a common, actively organised European agricultural policy.

In the French embassy in Berlin: Bernard de Montferrand (French ambassador to Germany), Erika and Helmut Claas.

Along with his wife Erika Claas, Helmut Claas was also accompanied in Berlin by a number of business partners who made the trip over from France especially for the occasion with their wives, as well as Lothar Kriszun from the CLAAS management board with his wife.

The ambassador described the career of Helmut Claas and the history of the CLAAS Group, which has close connections with France. In his youth, Helmut Claas spent time studying in France and he did not just see the country as a market for CLAAS products. He also used France as a base for several development, production and distribution sites over the years. Bernard de Montferrand also emphasised the important role of Helmut Claas as a business pioneer who has managed to develop the CLAAS Group into a multinational company while maintaining the special team spirit of a medium-sized family business.

In his thank you speech, Helmut Claas agreed with the comments of the ambassador with respect to a common Franco-German agricultural policy and honoured the role of France, especially the major importance of the acquisition of Renault Agriculture (now CLAAS Tractor) to the development of the CLAAS Group. Helmut Claas emphasised that France remains an important production location and market for CLAAS.

A photo for this press information is available here.