Claas Balers Turn 30
Claas built its first variable chamber round baler - the Variant 100 - in 1996, so 2026 marks 30 years and the fifth generation of the Variant name, recently complemented by the new Cerex Series introduced in 2025.
The latest investment sees two new assembly lines to produce new baler series, including the new CEREX round baler and the next-generation CUBIX square baler, which won a Gold Innovation Award at Agritechnica 2025.
The company says the investment reflects a shared long-term ambition for the future development of the site, alongside underlining the connection with the region in the 65-year history of the site
At the opening, Cathrina Claas- Muhlhauser, chair of the Shareholders’ Committee, commented, “As a family business, balers have been part of our DNA for more than 100 years. Metz is our home for baler production, and France is one of Claas’ core markets. This is an investment for our future and reflects our commitment to the Metz region and to France as a whole.”
With balers at the core of Class business, new generations of variable round and square balers will be built in a state-of-the-art factory. Thomas Spiering, COO for the company said, by combining innovative products with futureproof production facilities, “we are strengthening the industrial and technological foundations for the continued success of our baler business”.
The Metz site combines a range of expertise, including laser cutting, bending, robotic and manual welding, painting, and the assembly of round and square balers. The latest upgrades include freeing up 1800m² of space by outsourcing the storage of slow-moving parts and reorganising on-site storage, new U-shaped assembly lines, with preassembly areas arranged in a herringbone pattern to optimise production flows.
In addition, the construction of new test cabins is dedicated to test larger machines, with improved ergonomic and soundproofing, alongside general renovation of heating systems, lighting improvements and overhead cranes and manipulators.
Read More:
- Claas Jaguar 1000 and Orbis 10500 Win ASABE Innovation Awards
- Agritechnica 2025: Claas, Fendt and Valtra claim 2026 Tractor of the Year Awards
- Claas Jaguar 1000 Series sets new forage harvesting world record
The introduction of the new CEREX 780 and CEREX 760 variable chamber round balers will see a total of four new models, with and without a cutting unit, and with maximum bale diameters of 1.83m and 1.60m respectively, positioned above the VARIANT 500 series.
The new models are said to combine maximum throughput with improved bale density and lower power requirements, improving efficiency and versatility when baling silage, hay and straw.
