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August Claas established his engineering works in 1913 to manufacture straw balers. His development of an improved knotter in 1921 provided the cornerstone of the company’s growth and success. CLAAS has since lodged more than 3000 patents for innovation in agricultural engineering and technology.
Claas Brothers' storyIn 1913 efforts at CLAAS were focused on installing knotters on hay balers of other manufacturers. The operational reliability of these knotters declined with the ever-deteriorating twine quality during World War I. August Claas succeeded in improving the existing knotters in such a way that they could cope even with poorer-quality twine.
On 7 July 1919, the Claas brothers purchased an old, disused quarry works on Münsterstrasse in Harsewinkel. It was then converted into a factory building for agricultural machinery. Today, the old chimney still towers over the roofs of the main factory in Harsewinkel.
CLAAS received the first patent on a knotter apparatus that was safe and reliable. Additional patents followed. Many hay balers of external manufacturers were equipped with CLAAS knotters.
1930 saw the start of development of the first CLAAS combine harvester, initially as a machine based on the fore-edge cutter principle, and built around the tractor. With this method, the cut-off cereal stalks were fed sideways along the tractor with the help of a chain conveyor to a threshing mechanism positioned behind the tractor.
With the construction of its first pick-up and loading baler in 1934, CLAAS introduced a new method for harvesting feed crops. A tine drum picked up the hay in the swath and a conveyor canvas fed it to the bale chamber. The baler had two knotters. The bales went directly onto the wagon via a loading chute.
Start of series production of the mower-thresher-binder (MDB). Up until production was shut down because of the war in 1943, around 1,400 machines of this type were manufactured.
The 1,000th combine harvester was built, and at the same time, development of the CLAAS SUPER was begun in secret.
Presentation of the first self-propelled CLAAS combine harvester HERCULES, later known as the SF. The CLAAS SF operated with a longitudinal flow system, and laid the foundations for the later models of self-propelled combines, MATADOR, SENATOR, and MERCATOR.
Opening of a factory in Paderborn for the manufacture of drive and hydraulic system components. The new factory was the third CLAAS location after Harsewinkel and the Christopherus-Hütte in Gütersloh-Blankenhagen.
The new CLAAS baler factory in Metz in France commenced production. From 1969, the factory operated under the name Usines Claas France S.A., abbreviated to UCF.
The 100,000th combine harvester, a CLAAS MATADOR, was presented to the public at the DLG trade fair in Munich. In this year of construction alone, CLAAS manufactured around 20,000 combines, making it Europe's leading manufacturer.
Helmut Claas became Director of the Technology division
The large combine harvester CLAAS DOMINATOR, the most successful combine model series ever from CLAAS, was unveiled for the first time. As well as being much more powerful, the latest loading and manufacturing technology was incorporated into the design. The DOMINATOR series, which was launched in 1970 with the DOMINATOR 80, is still being built even now, more than 40 years later. The DOMINATOR is continuously being improved as part of the model refinement process. Milestones include the intensive separation system, the 3D cleaning system, the CONTOUR and later the AUTO CONTOUR cutterbar.
CLAAS responded to the global increase in maize cultivation by unveiling a self-propelled forage harvester, the CLAAS JAGUAR 60 SF. The JAGUAR impressed with its exceptional versatility. For example, as well as handling maize and grass silage, it could also be used as a wood chipper. With more than 30,000 units produced, CLAAS was now one of the global market leaders for self-propelled forage harvesters.
With the QUADRANT 1200, CLAAS succeed in breaking into the market for large square bales. The bales have a cross-section of 1.20 m in width, and 70 cm in height. With this bale form, trucks and storage areas are optimally utilised.
Opening of the TECHNOPARC customer and visitor centre in Harsewinkel. More than 30,000 farmers, contractors, distributors, interested parties, farming journalists and business partners from more than 100 countries around the world visit the TECHNOPARC each year.
Start of development of an electronic, satellite-assisted farming information systems by AGROCOM, known today as CLAAS E-Systems.
Presentation of the new LEXION model series, with the CLAAS LEXION 480 with HYBRID system. The LEXION is the first combine to use a hybrid threshing and cutting system, consisting of a MEGA threshing mechanism and longitudinal separation rotors. With a harvesting performance of up to 40 tonnes of grain per hour, it was the most powerful combine harvester in the world at the time.
The new logistics centre for replacement parts in Hamm-Uentrop opened its doors, and has been supplying CLAAS ORIGINAL parts for agricultural machines worldwide ever since.
CLAAS expanded its tractor product range by acquiring a majority in Renault Agriculture. The family company CLAAS advanced from being a manufacturer of harvesting machines to the status of longliner. At the French plant in Le Mans, the first green CLAAS tractors left the production line on 1 October 2003.
Guinness world record: the LEXION 770 TERRA TRAC set a new world record in the United Kingdom, harvesting 675.84 t of wheat in eight hours.
The 450,000th combine harvester, a LEXION, rolled off the production line.
