Claas: getting ready to compete in the US combine market.

The increased level of interest by US farmers in Claas harvesting technology has encouraged the company to reconsider the potential for market growth here.

German harvesting equipment maker Claas wants to get back into the North American market big time, but the company has a low-key involvement in the US at present. Claas supplies two of its Dominator models to AGCO in Massey Ferguson colors and sells, under its own brand, Dominator combines, mainly in Indiana where Claas of America, Inc. is based. The company also supplies balers and hay-making equipment throughout North America.

But Clive Last, group director of business development, told Implement & Tractor that the company is detecting a change in attitude towards high-tech machinery among American farmers, particularly those who have a big interest in technology and what it can do for output and operating costs. Last said this could make the timing right to introduce the newly-launched Lexion combine series in the US and build on recent sales of 800-series self-propelled forage harvesters.

Roger Parker, director of operations at Claas of America, agreed with Last. "We are continuing a strong dealer development push in the US," he said.

Full-scale involvement in the 10,000-combine North American market ties-in with ambitions for global expansion at Claas. The company is busy picking up sales in former eastern bloc countries in a 'new Europe' that is now also worth around 10,000 combines a year. But Claas recognizes that to be a global player in the farm equipment business, it must look beyond Europe.

"If you want to be big, you need to be in North America," said Last. "We have been there before, of course, and not been very successful. But the level of interest we've had in our harvesting technology has encouraged us to take another look."

Two years ago, at London's Royal Smithfield Show, a group of US farmers wanted to place orders for the firm's 800-series self-propelled forage harvester.

"We had to say 'no', because we had no means of supporting the machines in the States," Last said. Three months later, the group visited the Claas factory in Harsewinkel, Germany, with dealers who were prepared to take on the machines. Subsequently, they accounted for a third of all Claas machines bought in the US that year.

There are five models in the Claas Jaguar 800-series forager range, powered by V6 and V8 Mercedes-Benz engines from 220hp to 481 DIN hp (up to 503hp SAE). Features include a powerband driveline from the transverse-mounted engine to the chopping cylinder and intake attachment, and a corn cracker unit that takes only a couple of minutes to install or remove.

Claas said that half of the self-propelled forage harvesters sold in western Europe this year carried the Claas name, in the face of competition from John Deere and New Holland. Total sales of harvesters in Europe were up 20 percent last year, at around 8600 combines and 1700 foragers, as farmers continued to take advantage of strong crop prices and good harvests to invest in new equipment. Claas claims a record 36 percent share overall in Europe, with a third of all combine sales.

The company hopes to make further gains following the launch of the sophisticated Lexion combine range for the '97 harvest. The series comprises six straw walker models, with the series-topping Lexion 480 using twin rotors for final grain separation. The three-cylinder threshing system used on all models counters general practice by having an extra drum ahead of the main cylinder (rather than behind it) to take out the easily threshed grain and leave the main drum with less work to do.

Significant increases in output have been recorded by users and Claas claims the 'world's highest capacity combine' title for the Lexion 480 which is capable of putting away 40 ton/hr in Europe's heavy-yielding wheat crops.

Electronic control systems enable the combines to be set up and run automatically, leaving the driver to concentrate on ground speed and steering. All key adjustments are made from within the cab, and drivers can immediately see the effect of adjustments on a computerized monitoring system.

The CEBIS monitor provides large screen graphics to support digital read-outs, and there is a printer and a chipcard reader for transferring data to the farm office computer. It can also be used with a new GPS-based crop mapping system that Claas is developing.

Claas is keeping an open mind on how it will tackle the North American market with the new machines. Clive Last didn't rule out local US assembly, to which the modular construction of the Lexion models lends itself, as a means of reducing manufacture and shipping costs, and boosting local component content.

"Our preference would be to find a partner of some reputation, with a strong presence in the market, experience and infrastructure," Last said.

Peter Hill is a London-based freelance journalist who specializes in technical subjects involving agricultural and industrial machinery, vehicles and crop production.