Source: CLAAS news release
“The LEXION stands in a class of its own because at CLAAS, we are constantly innovating and bringing new technology to our equipment lineup,” says Matthias Ristow, President and Managing Director Business Administration at CLAAS Omaha Inc. “With the ability to handle more acres, more bushels and more hours, the LEXION is made for more.”
About the LEXION Combine ,
When the first LEXION 400-series combines rolled off the line in Omaha nearly three decades ago, North American farmers knew they were dealing with something different. The LEXION 400-series combine came with a first-of-its-kind Accelerated Pre-Separation (APS) Hybrid System, which independently controlled threshing and separation. Its TERRA TRAC undercarriage reduced compaction decades before competitors offered tracks.
Many years and innovations later, today’s LEXION models take innovation to the next level. Autonomous systems like the CEMOS operator assistance system senses crop conditions and machine capacity, automatically adjusting settings to optimize throughput and maximize grain retention. This, coupled with other driver-assist technologies, allows a range of experience levels to operate the LEXION combine at maximum performance.
Midwest Roots
CLAAS has been a part of Omaha for more than 25 years. Its 200,000+ square foot manufacturing facility opened its doors in 2001, replacing a temporary facility used since 1997. Originally a joint venture between CLAAS and Caterpillar, the building was used to assemble LEXION combines sporting the Caterpillar logo and branded in yellow and black colors. In 2002, CLAAS took full ownership of the facility as CAT got out of the combine business.
The facility has since grown in size and sophistication to make way for more comprehensive manufacturing techniques and sub-assemblies, employing about 200 people. Today, the manufacturing plant sources over one-third of its components locally – up from a small fraction when it first opened – increasing the economic made on the US economy.
From serving as a polling place for elections, a gathering place for local events and a destination for many tour groups, the facility is a community staple. CLAAS recently added the 20,000 square foot CLAAS Academy and Apprentice Lab to house the company’s unique training facility for their dealers and innovative apprentice programs.
Going the Distance
The milestone of 10,000 LEXION combines is more than just a number. It’s a commitment from CLAAS to North American farmers that they have the option of best-in-class, German engineering built stateside by American workers.
But the numbers are still impressive. If you lined up the 10,000 machines produced in Omaha end-to-end, they would stretch out over 90 miles, or about the distance between Omaha, Nebraska and Sioux City, Iowa.
“This milestone supports CLAAS’s dedication to rural areas throughout North America,” says Ristow. “While we’re proud to have manufactured 10,000 LEXION combines, we’re just as proud to be an economic generator in Omaha and across the United States.”
ABOUT CLAAS
CLAAS produces a wide variety of technologically innovative tractors, combines, forage harvesters, balers, and hay tools that deliver optimum performance in the field. These premium equipment lines are designed by a dedicated engineering staff located at numerous factories worldwide and focused on research and production. The design, performance, and reliability of this equipment have made CLAAS an international market leader. For more information, visit www.claas.com.
