50 years of CLAAS loader wagons

CLAAS has celebrated its 50th anniversary of leadership in forage wagon technology with the release of the upgraded CARGOS 9000 series of dual-purpose loader/transport wagons.

First released in 2009, the series has been completely re-engineered to incorporate the same technology found in the 8000 series of compact loader/transport wagons released last year. This includes double blades in the lowerable cutting floor, a hydraulically-folding scraper floor, optional tandem or tridem chassis and many other innovations.

CLAAS now offers six models across the two series, with loading volumes ranging between 30 and 50 cubic meters. German agricultural machinery manufacturer, Josef Bautz, commenced making its famous AUTONOM loader wagons in 1965. CLAAS acquired Bautz four years later, consolidating its position as a leader in forage harvesting technology.

“For many German farmers, the AUTONOM was their first introduction to mechanical forage harvesting,” CLAAS Harvest Centre Greenline Product Manager, Luke Wheeler, says.

“CLAAS immediately set about expanding both the site and the product range. “Key milestones include the release of high performance CLAAS SPRINT silage trailers in the 1980s, QUANTUM loader wagons in the late 1990s and more recently, CARGOS dual-purpose loader/transport wagons.”

The factory produces more than 275 different products and models, including 124 different variants of its industry-leading DISCO mowers.

The CLAAS Bad Saulgau factory in southern Germany now produces the entire ‘Greenline’ range of harvesting technology, including DISCO mowers, VOLTO conditioners, LINER rakes, QUANTUM loader wagons, CARGOS dual purpose forage wagons and front attachments for JAGUAR forage harvesters.

The 17-hectare site, which underwent a €20 million redevelopment in 2013, employs more than 550 staff. CLAAS implements a flexible production system that enables the factory to produce up to 40 different machines or variants at the same time.

The factory produces more than 275 different products and models, including 124 different variants of its industry-leading DISCO mowers. Its 13 assembly lines – which include 40 manual and 18 robotic welding stations that consume more than 24,000 km of welding wire a year – complete up to 180 machines each day.

The Bad Saulgau plant also hosts one of the most modern forage harvesting development centres in the world. This facility is home to the entire new product development process, from concept to prototype production and series development, validation and technical documentation.

“The aim is to shorten development cycles and ensure market readiness at the same time,” Luke says. “Prototypes are thoroughly tested using modern servo-hydraulic testing machines which simulate field conditions.

“Some processes are repeated up to a million times, allowing an entire harvesting season to be simulated within three weeks, even in the middle of winter. Any weaknesses are detected extremely early on and technical improvements can immediately flow into the prototype process.”