More than 500,000 success stories: CLAAS celebrates half a million combine harvesters

European pioneer of combine harvester production

CLAAS has been at the forefront of combine harvester development for many decades. From 1936 onwards, the family company based in Harsewinkel/Germany rationalised grain harvesting in Europe with the mower-thresher-binder with cross-flow principle, or MDB for short. Then in 1946 the highly successful SUPER series was launched; from 1953 an add-on engine was available for the SUPER and from 1958 the SUPER AUTOMATIC was supplied with a hydraulic cutterbar drive. More than 60,000 units of the SUPER were sold worldwide as far afield as Canada and Uruguay.

In 1953, CLAAS launched its first self-propelled combine harvester – the HERCULES, later renamed SF. In 1961, the MATADOR GIGANT set new standards with a cutterbar width of up to 6.0 m. Other industry-defining milestones of the 1960s included well-known names such as SENATOR, COMET, COSMOS, CORSAR, MERCATOR, PROTECTOR and COMPACT.

In 1972, the DOMINATOR series marked a new era that has lasted more than 50 years and is still going strong to this day. CLAAS consolidated its status as the European market leader, particularly with the DOMINATOR 6 and DOMINATOR 8 series, and introduced innovations such as 3D cleaning, the AUTO CONTOUR cutterbar guidance and the MEGA threshing unit. The DOMINATOR CS series with cylinder separation (renamed COMMANDOR CS in 1986) launched in 1981 were among the most powerful combine harvesters in the world at the time, and were supplied with rubber tracks for the first time from 1987 onwards.

Launched at Agritechnica 1995, the LEXION 480 with groundbreaking APS hybrid technology was not only the highlight of the trade fair, but also a game changer in terms of performance, comfort and pioneering electronic applications for the emerging precision farming era. The soil-friendly TERRA TRAC chassis technology on the LEXION – also available for the TRION from 2021 – has enjoyed global success since its roll-out in 1997.

A huge leap forward in the field of machine intelligence followed in 2013: with CEMOS, CLAAS has since become a front runner in combine harvester automation, as demonstrated by numerous international awards. CEMOS continues to be continuously developed and expanded to include additional functions for combine harvesters and cutterbars.

The latest members of the CLAAS combine harvester family are the TRION and EVION series launched in 2021 and 2023. Together with the LEXION, they offer a unique range of products and equipment from the 205 hp five-walker to the 790 hp flagship LEXION 8900 TERRA TRAC with APS SYNFLOW HYBRID. All three series feature DYNAMIC POWER engine management and expanded CEMOS functions to further increase threshing performance. An enormous range of cutterbars are available to suit requirements – from the conventional auger cutterbar to state-of-the-art, automated VARIO cutterbars and the CONVIO FLEX draper with a flexible knife bar and flip-over reel control.

More than 500,000 success stories: a strong foundation built on experience and future readiness

With around 100,000 DOMINATOR and more than 75,000 LEXION units, these two account for the largest share of the 500,000 CLAAS combine harvesters built to date. SUPER and SUPER AUTOMATIC (approx. 65,000 units), EUROPA and COLUMBUS (together approx. 60,000 combine harvesters) and the TUCANO (approx. 35,000 units) also contributed significant numbers to the global success of the CLAAS combine harvesters. But even series built in smaller numbers, such as the COMMANDOR TERRA TRAC, were drivers of progress that had a significant impact on the genetics of today's CLAAS combine harvesters. Features such as remarkable multi-crop capabilities, unrivalled harvest performance and unparalleled efficiency have been continuously optimised over decades of development for the benefit of customers all over the world and are firmly embedded in the DNA of every new CLAAS combine harvester. However, it's not just these persuasive arguments that make CLAAS combine harvesters ideally prepared for the future; they also feature industry-leading automation and a new level of connectivity.

International network of production expertise

Over the decades, CLAAS has also supplied other manufacturers with combine harvesters. Since 1992, CLAAS combine harvesters have no longer been manufactured exclusively at the Harsewinkel headquarters. That year, the first CLAAS CROP TIGER rolled off the assembly line in India, where more than 10,000 units have now been produced. Since 2001, CLAAS has also been producing LEXION hybrid combine harvesters for the North American market in its own factory in Omaha – in yellow with Caterpillar branding up until 2019.

Since 2013, following the takeover of Jinyee, CLAAS has also been producing combine harvesters and combine harvester components in China. The new DOMINATOR 370 hybrid combine was introduced here in 2019, followed three years later by the DOMINATOR 260 with six walkers. The new EVION, which, like the DOMINATOR 370 and 260, was developed in Harsewinkel, has also been rolling off the production line in Gaomi since 2023.

Another centre of excellence for combine harvester production, Törökszentmiklós in southern Hungary, has been producing cutterbars and corn pickers for CLAAS combine harvesters since 1997. In October 2021, the 100,000th cutterbar for CLAAS was celebrated here.

Automation, assistance and data management: from the throughput control device to CEMOS and CLAAS connect

The remarkable increase in threshing performance since the launch of the first European combine harvester, the MDB, is due not only to advances in hardware and engine performance. Over the last 25 years in particular, automation has become an increasingly important part of further optimisations in efficiency, productivity and work results. CLAAS first began integrating electronic assistance systems into combine harvesters back in 1974 with the introduction of the throughput control device. However, the real game changer proved to be the CEMOS, which was introduced in 2013 and has since won several awards at international trade fairs such as Agritechnica and SIMA: to this day, its functions are still being continuously expanded to include further combine harvester and cutterbar settings, enabling optimal utilisation of the machine for maximum harvesting performance – supported by the unique multi-crop capability of all CLAAS combine harvesters.

CLAAS also pioneered precision farming applications for combine harvesters. From 1991, yield data and GPS position data could be linked with one another – and from 1996, the LEXION even offered yield mapping via AGROCOM MAP followed in 1998 by telemetry-based fleet management via Combine Online. In 2005, LEXION combine harvesters were the first CLAAS products to be equipped with the groundbreaking TELEMATICS. As of October 2024, CLAAS combine harvesters are digitally connected to the rest of the fleet, the farm management system and the CLAAS service and sales partner in the new CLAAS connect, opening a new chapter in the field of digital machine and farm management.

More than a machine – the CLAAS Principle

From the first combine harvester in 1936 until today, CLAAS has provided its customers with comprehensive support. When purchasing a combine harvester from CLAAS, customers expect maximum performance and productivity underpinned by cutting-edge technology and optimal support. A user-friendly operating concept, groundbreaking driver assistance system and close connection to the CLAAS service partner ensures maximum campaign performance and unrivalled lifetime productivity of every CLAAS combine harvester. It is thanks to this future readiness that CLAAS combine harvesters have always remained in use for a very long time – more than five decades in some cases. Extremely low annual depreciation has also contributed to the resounding popularity all CLAAS combine harvester series and models – including used machines.

Modern operator assistance systems such as CEMIS and GPS PILOT are just as important today as the CLAAS MAXI CARE maintenance contracts. And thanks to the wide range of front attachments and low effort required to change between crop types, CLAAS combine harvesters are ideally equipped for every application. Because harvesting calls for speed, versatility and adaptability – as well as the highest level of reliability.

These characteristics are shared by all CLAAS combine harvesters – more than half a million to date. It is the experience of 500,000 success stories spanning almost 90 years of combine harvester production that makes “Made by CLAAS” a promise.

Anniversary machines for demonstrations and trade fairs – Sales Edition for customers

Several distinctive anniversary machines are being built to underline the global CLAAS combine harvester production network and allow all locations to participate in the anniversary. In the coming weeks and months, LEXION, TRION, EVION and DOMINATOR will be on display at various national and international trade fairs as well as at field days and demonstrations. The design pays homage to the history of CLAAS combine harvesters: the silver metallic colour represents the beginnings of CLAAS combine harvester production up to 1961, the seed green metallic represents the world-renowned CLAAS colour scheme introduced in 1967 with the SENATOR. CLAAS lettering on either side of the anniversary machines featuring a knotter pattern references the old CLAAS logo depicting the CLAAS knotter hook – the first CLAAS patent from 1921.

"500,000 CLAAS combine harvesters amounts to 500,000 success stories, because it shows that farmers and contractors worldwide have placed their trust in us 500,000 times," explains Jan-Hendrik Mohr, CLAAS CEO. "We are celebrating this milestone internationally with a global roll-out of several anniversary machines in Harsewinkel, Omaha and Gaomi. This is also our way of showing our appreciation for the skills and expertise of our global production network for combine harvesters, which also includes our production site for cutterbars and corn pickers in Törökszentmiklos, Hungary.”

Customers can join in the celebrations with a special Sales Edition for the 2025 harvest season featuring specially selected equipment and “More than a machine” stickers on the side panels. “A CLAAS combine harvester is actually much more than a machine,” continues Mohr. “Because behind every EVION, TRION, LEXION and DOMINATOR there is an efficient sales organisation, a highly professional service, a fast and reliable spare parts supply and so much more. And last but not least, a strong international used machine business to inspire customers all over the world – much like the overall performance, reliability and durability of our machines.”

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CLAAS Group, Group Communications
Inquiries to pr@claas.com