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.
Available in working widths of 1.4m, 1.65m and 1.8m, the compact units feature a unique, spring-loaded bogie suspension system for fast, efficient and clean windrowing.
Landpower sales and product support manager – GRIMME, Nigel Prattley says crop quality starts with a gentle lift and intake of the crop.
“The WV gently lifts onions, cleans them on two main webs and then places them in an even swath on a consolidated surface, so that the crop can dry before storage.”
Available as rubber or brush versions, the machine’s intake paddles are extremely flexible and move upwards to reduce the pressure on the crop if crop flow increases, while also preventing the crop from rolling back when the machine is lifted, thus maximising marketable crop yield.
From the intake, the crop is transferred to the main webs for cleaning over first and second webs, which can be equipped with either mechanical or hydraulically-driven adjustable agitators.
Under the machine, the bogie system produces a level and firm ground surface to prevent onions from sinking back into the soil after discharge, via a PVC crop placement chute.
Each assembly consists of two support wheels and a bed roller, which maintains constant ground pressure without ‘bulldozing’ soil in front of the bed roller.
“This allows the onions to dry more evenly and helps to minimise the amount of soil taken into the machine during the second phase of the harvest process,” Parry explains.
All models can be adapted to different harvesting conditions by means of various intake units and other options, including a buffer bunker that prevents the loss of crop on the headland, while also providing more space for opening fields.
