CLAAS flags major investment in forage harvesting

CLAAS has announced it will invest about EUR 40 million to refurbish its Bad Saulgau manufacturing site to meet increasing global demand for high performance harvesting technology.

The 17-hectare site in southern Germany, which underwent a EUR 20 million refurbishment only nine years ago, is the home of the company’s famous ‘Greenline’ range of mowers, tedders, swathers, balers and forage harvester fronts.

A number of facilities on the site are being expanded and upgraded, including the 5000 square metre main assembly hall and energy infrastructure. This will be followed by investments in the areas of assembly optimisation and production logistics.

CLAAS implements a flexible production system that enables the factory to produce up to 40 different machines or variants at the same time.

The Bad Saulgau site also hosts one of the most modern forage harvesting development centres in the world, as well as CLAAS’ Tractor-Implement-Automation technology. Many new products are scheduled for release in the coming years. CLAAS has also announced the discontinuation of the CARGOS series of loader wagons at the end of this year.

“CLAAS is constantly adjusting its product portfolio to the needs of its customers around the world,” CLAAS Harvest Centre General Manager – Product, Tim Needham says. “The use of loader wagons is declining in favour of forage harvesters. CLAAS has decided to discontinue its production of loader and forage transport wagons to create additional capacity for the production of ORBIS row crop fronts for its JAGUAR forage harvesters. CLAAS and the CLAAS Harvest Centre network will continue to support its customers with the provision of spare parts and technical support.”