Farms.com Home   News

Claas narrows lines and expands capacity

When Claas began building its first mower/thresher/binder units in the late 1930s, it would have been hard to imagine that the progeny of these machines would be constructed inside a facility that has 54 acres under a roof.

It also would have been hard to imagine machines this big; the hopper doors wouldn’t have been able to open under the roof. In fact, the harvesters didn’t even have doors — or hoppers, for that matter.

The 110-year-old company has just updated its combine facility in Harsewinkel, Germany, much of which dated back to the early 1950s.

While most of the largest Lexion machines that North American farmers are familiar with hail from the Claas of America factory in Omaha, Nebraska, more than 50 percent of those machine’s 15,000 or so parts are assembled there, the company produces a wide range of machines in its European headquarters in Germany.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Video: California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Meet Willy: California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year!

We’re excited to introduce Willy, a miniature long-haired dachshund with a big heart and even bigger courage, and the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Farm Dog of the Year Contest!

Willy may be small, but he’s become an indispensable partner on owner Marshal Hagedorn’s forestry and cattle operations in Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou counties. Adopted in 2023, he quickly found his place on the ranch, helping manage critters, tagging along for long days in the woods, and offering unwavering companionship during demanding logging work.

Willy has even taken naturally to moving cattle, surprising calves (and more than a few full-grown cows!) with his burst of energy from the tall grass. As Marshal put it: “He goes with me everywhere every single day.”

Congratulations to Willy and his family, a perfect example of how every good farm dog, no matter the size, helps keep California agriculture running strong.