Gleaming Seed Green mowers, tedders, swathers and front attachments for forage harvesters fresh off the assembly line are lined up in the loading bay in front of the production halls, ready for transportation to the customers. The most southerly CLAAS site in Germany, Bad Saulgau is the Forage Harvesting Centre of Excellence. Just about every conceivable forage harvesting machine is made here – apart from the self-propelled ones.

"We produce 200 different product types," says Simon Bohner from Forage Harvesting Product Marketing. And the products are becoming larger, more complex and more intelligent. The MAX CUT, DISCO, VOLTO, LINER, front attachments and forage harvesting equipment for the self-propelled JAGUAR – they're all made in Saulgau."

The factory: friendly, informal and hands-on

Although the factory is large, employing over 800 people on a 180,000 m2 site, the atmosphere is friendly, informal – and hands-on. "Workers in Preproduction process 24,000 km of welding rod alone each year, enough to go halfway round the world," explains Simon Bohner. Incoming Goods receives around 80 truckloads of material and parts a day, which all have to be checked in Quality Assurance before processing.

"Then it's all hands on deck," says Sylvia Stumpp from Quality Assurance. "I check the incoming goods for deficiencies – and find a solution if necessary," she explains. "It's not unusual for me to make up to 20 calls a day to suppliers to source the right replacement part in the customary high quality," she says with a grin. "Basically, my job is to make sure that no line comes to a standstill," is how Sylvia Stumpp sums up her role. It's all systems go at the paintshop too: "Each year some 800,000 individual parts are painted in the unmistakable CLAAS colours," explains Simon Bohner.

50 million euros invested in the site

"Since 2022, the Bad Saulgau site has been undergoing an extensive programme of restructuring and expansion under the project name ForageGO!" explains site manager Ulrich Nickol. By 2025, more than 50 million euros will have been invested in plant infrastructure and production facilities – a major undertaking while the plant is operational. A new logistics centre with a total footprint of 9,500 m2 is currently being built to the KFW 40 energy efficiency standard. "The entire roof will be covered with a 950 kWp photovoltaic array," explains Urich Nickol.

With ForageGo!, the number of employees is expanding along with the factory: the CLAAS workforce at Saulgau has increased from 600 to now more than 800.

What these figures do not reveal is the strong sense of solidarity among the workers and their attachment to the customers and the company. "We don't see ourselves as a production plant pure and simple," Urich Nickol is keen to stress. "Through our long history we have built up a stable team of people, many of whom have strong ties to farming," adds the site manager, who has been with CLAAS for 28 years.

Five facts about Bad Saulgau

1.

Bad Saulgau is a town in Southern Germany in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. It has a population of around 17,000 inhabitants and lies in the Sigmaringen district in Upper Swabia.

2.

The town has a long history with the first historical reference dating back to 819. It was an important market and trading place for the region in the Middle Ages. Saulgau was officially granted the prefix 'Bad' in 2000 to denote its importance as a spa town.

3.

Bad Saulgau is renowned for its Sonnenhof thermal springs, which draw visitors from far and wide and have cemented the town's reputation as a spa and wellness resort.

4.

The town has a diverse economic structure. In addition to small and medium-sized enterprises in the mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and food industry sectors, agriculture plays an important role here, and in the surrounding Upper Swabia region.

5.

Bad Saulgau is famous for its well-preserved old town and its traditional festivals, such as the historic folk festival. The region is also famed for its Swabian cuisine, which includes local specialties such as Maultaschen (a type of meat-filled dumpling) and Spätzle (the regional equivalent of noodles or pasta).