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.
Now their product offering has expanded with the addition of intermediate battens, a product in demand by many New Zealand farmers.
A newly built machine features a multi-bladed rip saw layout, which when fed with half-round posts, converts the offering into multiple, 50 x 50mm battens in one pass. Intended for use as drop battens; feedback from farmers and contractors is the battens are dry, straight and hold the staples tightly. The system is able to process timber in shorter lengths of 1.5m and under, which were still heading to landfill.
Company founder, Greg Coppell says, although the rip saw is still in its early days, there is clear demand as farmers can now buy multiple products from one source. Ongoing development means the machine can also be configured to make other useful products such as palings and marker pegs.
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