LEXION World Record

Certified by Guinness World Records:

(OMAHA, Neb.) British farmer Keith Challen recently demonstrated just how much he identifies with ”his“ brand of combine harvester, the CLAAS LEXION 580 Terra Trac. Under the watchful eye of an invited Guinness World Records official, the LEXION harvested 19,533 bushels (532.14 metric tons) of wheat in eight hours. That’s 18 percent better than the previous world record.

The LEXION, equipped with factory installed tracks, loaded with high-tech equipment including GPS steering and a 35 ft. (10.50 m) VARIO head, set the new world record on the farm of Kevin Yates at Sleaford near Nottingham, UK. The harvesting conditions in Britain this year were not ideal on account of the bad summer weather. Finally, on Tuesday, September 16th, the skies over the eastern English county cleared and Challen was able to launch his record-breaking bid under the supervision of Guinness World Records’ official Carlos Martinez.

The LEXION was sent on its way at 12:02 pm. By the halfway mark, at 4:02 pm, the high-tech combine harvester had already harvested 9,921 bushels (270 metric tons) of wheat. The old record of 16,571 bushels (451 metric tons), established only weeks previously, was surpassed after 6 hours 45 minutes. After exactly eight hours, at 8:02 pm, the scale registered 19,553 bushels (532.14 metric tons).

The parameters – grain moisture content, grain quality, loss ratio and stubble height – were constantly monitored throughout in accordance with the rules of the Guinness World Records. The harvested straw was chopped and spread over the full cutting width of the combine harvester.

The average hourly yield was 2,444 bushels (66.51 metric tons), and only .36 gallons (1.35 l) of diesel was consumed per ton. An average grain moisture content of 16.2% made harvesting more difficult, but it also proves the capability of the HYBRID system combining the APS threshing system paired with the RotoPlus dual rotor separation system. In North America, the LEXION combine harvester is available in class 6, 7, 8 and leads the industry with the first class 9 machine.

Conversion Chart
1 metric ton = 2,204.6 pounds
1 bushel of wheat = 60 pounds
1 metric ton = 36.74 bushels of wheat

Download photos during the world record performance!

CLAAS of America, Inc. offers a wide variety of technologically innovative hay tool, baler, self-propelled forage harvester and combine harvester products to provide growers optimum performance in the field. These products are designed by a dedicated engineering staff located at three different worldwide factories focused on the production and design of harvesting equipment. The design, performance and reliability of this equipment have made CLAAS an international market leader.