Machinery world pays tribute to Helmut Claas

Tributes have poured in to agricultural machinery pioneer and Claas chairman Helmut Claas, who died aged 94 on 5 January.

Described as one of agricultural
engineering’s most significant businessmen, Mr Claas took the family-named firm from a small business employing 100 people to a muti-national global company with a workforce of 11,500.

Born in 1926 in Germany, He remained first first and for most a farmer. He farmed in East Anglia and often stayed there with his wife Erika. He counted other local farmers among his friends and had a passion for hunting.

During his time at the helm of Claas, he oversaw the development of the
Lexion combine harvester, the Jaguar forage harvester and the Xerion tractor. Today, Claas is one of the most arm machinery manufacturers in the world.