The development of modern harvesting technology is closely connected to the history of CLAAS, a company that has been a defining force in European and global agricultural machinery manufacturing for more than a century. The success of this family-founded business perfectly demonstrates how an initiative born out of economic necessity can evolve into a global innovation leader.
A Business Born from a Family Farm
The story of CLAAS began in 1913 in Clarholz-Heerde, located in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Facing financial difficulties, the farming Claas family sought new opportunities, leading the 25-year-old August Claas and his brothers to establish their own company.
In a small workshop located in the yard of the family farm, they initially started manufacturing baling machines. One year later, they officially founded their company under the name “Gebrüder Claas.” From the very beginning, their goal was clear: to develop machines that could provide real support for farmers in their daily work.
The Breakthrough Innovation: The CLAAS Knotter
One of the biggest issues with early balers was unreliable knotting, which often caused crop losses. August Claas therefore focused on improving the most critical component of the machines: the knotting mechanism.
The patented CLAAS knotter, introduced in 1921, represented a major technological breakthrough. The innovation significantly improved baling reliability, and CLAAS machines quickly became well known and highly sought after across European agriculture.
The Birth of the First European Combine Harvester
The Claas brothers soon became interested in combine harvester technology already being used in the United States. After years of development, they introduced their own combine harvester model, the MDB, in 1936. It became the first successfully operating European combine harvester.
Serial production began in 1937, and nearly 1,400 machines were manufactured before World War II. The development proved that harvesting and threshing in a single operation could also be highly effective in European farming conditions.
The SUPER - A Defining Combine of Its Era
The next major milestone was the introduction of the SUPER combine harvester, which featured a patented transverse and longitudinal crop flow system that significantly improved harvesting efficiency. The machine gained worldwide popularity and, with more than 65,000 units sold, became one of the most successful models in CLAAS history.
For nearly three decades, the SUPER served as the foundation of CLAAS combine production and strongly influenced future technological developments.
The Emergence of Self-Propelled Combines
The growth of modern agriculture created demand for a new category of machinery. CLAAS responded in 1952 with the introduction of its first self-propelled combine harvester, later known as the SF (Selbstfahrer - self-propelled).
The high-performance machine became especially popular among large-scale farms and agricultural contractors, setting new standards in combine harvester development.
International Expansion and Increased Production Capacity
By the 1950s, growing market demand required expanded manufacturing capacity. In 1956, production began at the Paderborn plant, which later became one of CLAAS’s key manufacturing centers.
The company’s international expansion soon reached France as well. Its facility established in Metz, thanks to its strategic location, efficiently served the European baler market while also strengthening German-French industrial cooperation.
More Than a Century in Service of Agriculture
The development of CLAAS clearly demonstrates that the success of agricultural machinery manufacturing is built on understanding farmers’ needs and continuously advancing technology. What started as a small family workshop has grown into one of the world’s leading developers of modern harvesting technology.
But the story does not end here. In the next part, we will explore how CLAAS became one of the leading innovators in modern high-performance combine harvesters, forage harvesters, and precision farming systems.
To be continued…
