Oct 9, 2026 · 10 min · 5 segments
New research and development facility brings engineers closer to North American farmers, with a focus on efficiency, innovation and the next generation of agricultural equipment.
I think, uh, in general, we are collecting a lot of market knowledge through product management, what means in a dialogue with farmers, and they tell us about their future demands, uh, the crops they grow, the yields they might expect, the harvest conditions they are experiencing.
And then we are answering here through technical innovation, and that mean that we tailor machines, in particular here for, uh, the North American needs of farmers.
How do you see this kind of refining ag technology and, and bringing it together?
I think in general, developing ag machinery is a very long story across decades.
And, uh, Helmut Claas, um, second-generation owner of Claas, would've said it's, uh, innovations for generations.
And, uh, uh, once you are done with the development, that you automatically ask yourself, how about the farmer of, uh, the next generation? What is he requiring? Again, then there is discussion with these, uh, people, and, uh, we just innovate from there.
Can you imagine if he could have seen into this future as to what Claas has become and the impact it's made in North America, but more importantly, the impact it's made globally with the tractors and innovation and the combines and all that it brings?
Um, and that definitely is, uh, valid for the performance of combines and so forth.
What now plays into it as well is, of course, electronic systems, digital, uh, features which we add to it, including artificial intelligence.
And, uh, if it had been at the beginning about steel or reliability, more and more horsepower, now it's also about more and more intelligence.
Talk about the farmer input and the roundtables and the discussions that you guys have about what is needed for that farmer when they're sitting hours on end inside your equipment.
This week, uh, that discussion had been tough at the very beginning because farmers did share quite a bit of concern.
So that is in particular high energy cost, like diesel, $6 per, per gallon, and, uh, maybe a little bit still too low commodity, uh, prices.
Some issues concerning export, some uncertainty in general in framework conditions.
And then, uh, it's of course, what could be a contribution of our machines now.
And while we cannot answer political questions, it's not our duty, it's not our job, it's also not our competence, on the technical side, we can do a lot.
If it is about lower losses of a combine harvester in the field, it's fine.
If it is about better traction of Terra Trac undercarriages, for example, so less slippage and also better fuel consumption, uh, these are the fields in which we are in, including then the digital part of the story.
I think, uh, in general, we are collecting a lot of market knowledge through product management, what means in a dialogue with farmers, and they tell us about their future demands, uh, the crops they grow, the yields they might expect, the harvest conditions they are experiencing.
And then we are answering here through technical innovation, and that mean that we tailor machines, in particular here for, uh, the North American needs of farmers.
How do you see this kind of refining ag technology and, and bringing it together?
I think in general, developing ag machinery is a very long story across decades.
And, uh, Helmut Claas, um, second-generation owner of Claas, would've said it's, uh, innovations for generations.
And, uh, uh, once you are done with the development, that you automatically ask yourself, how about the farmer of, uh, the next generation? What is he requiring? Again, then there is discussion with these, uh, people, and, uh, we just innovate from there.
Can you imagine if he could have seen into this future as to what Claas has become and the impact it's made in North America, but more importantly, the impact it's made globally with the tractors and innovation and the combines and all that it brings?
Um, and that definitely is, uh, valid for the performance of combines and so forth.
What now plays into it as well is, of course, electronic systems, digital, uh, features which we add to it, including artificial intelligence.
And, uh, if it had been at the beginning about steel or reliability, more and more horsepower, now it's also about more and more intelligence.
Talk about the farmer input and the roundtables and the discussions that you guys have about what is needed for that farmer when they're sitting hours on end inside your equipment.
This week, uh, that discussion had been tough at the very beginning because farmers did share quite a bit of concern.
So that is in particular high energy cost, like diesel, $6 per, per gallon, and, uh, maybe a little bit still too low commodity, uh, prices.
Some issues concerning export, some uncertainty in general in framework conditions.
And then, uh, it's of course, what could be a contribution of our machines now.
And while we cannot answer political questions, it's not our duty, it's not our job, it's also not our competence, on the technical side, we can do a lot.
If it is about lower losses of a combine harvester in the field, it's fine.
If it is about better traction of Terra Trac undercarriages, for example, so less slippage and also better fuel consumption, uh, these are the fields in which we are in, including then the digital part of the story.
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