The Bad Saulgau plant recently celebrated a significant milestone: the 250,000th Claas mower rolled off the production line, coinciding with the launch of a new generation of Claas front mowers featuring a new design and dual-drive transmission for roller models
For decades, Claas has been a leading global supplier of innovative equipment for professional forage harvesting, driving technical progress in this segment with numerous innovations. The 250,000th Claas mower — a Disco 3200 FC — was recently completed at the Bad Saulgau plant, heralding the arrival of a new generation of Claas front mowers.
New: three Series of Disco front Claas Mowers
The new Claas front mowers feature an elegant gray protective cover that perfectly complements the extensive range of rear and large-scale mowers. Claas has introduced a new gearbox-driven transmission for the dual-roller drive on the Disco 9700 RC Auto Swather with a roller conditioner. This performance boost ensures higher productivity in extremely leafy crops.
Claas offers a front mower for every need with three different ranges: from the compact and lightweight Disco 3150F without a conditioner to the versatile Disco F Profil available with or without flail or roller conditioners, and with mechanical spring suspension or Active float hydropneumatic suspension, to the Disco Move with integrated Active float suspension and hydraulic height control independent of the tractor’s lift arms.
All Claas Disco front mowers can be combined with a wide range of side mowers and triple Disco mowers: from a simple front-rear combination with side attachment and center of gravity suspension to a high-performance biomass mower with a conditioner and swath groupers.
With the “18 to 12” strategy — which involves wide spreading in combination and swath grouping via Auto Swather cross conveyors — a cutting width of 18 meters can be consolidated into 12 meters for the following Liner four-rotor rake. This optimizes the forage harvesting process and allows active control of the drying process.
Innovative and durable: trusted by customers worldwide for over 50 years
The current Claas Disco product range, including nearly 40 different models with working widths from 2.20 to 10.70 meters, is the result of unparalleled decades of experience in mower development and manufacturing, as well as feedback from 250,000 customers operating in diverse conditions.
Since 1996, Disco disc mowers have set international standards with innovations like the Max cut cutter bar with a wave-shaped profile, Active Float hydropneumatic suspension, or vector folding. Initially launched with a working width of 2.60 meters, Claas quickly responded to the rising demand for larger mowers and triple combinations by introducing the first Disco mower in 1999. In 2005, Claas impressed industry experts at Agritechnica with the Cougar self-propelled mower featuring a 14.0-meter working width — the largest and most powerful on the market — equipped with innovations such as Active Float suspension and telescopic arms.
Cutting-Edge Innovations for Maximum Efficiency
The Max cut cutter bar, standard on all Claas mowers since 2020, guarantees not only a clean cut and protected sward but also high capacity combined with a high cutting frequency at a reduced Pto speed of just 850 rpm.
Thanks to Active Float suspension, mac cut further reduces the required traction power and fuel consumption. Its bolted, torsion-flexible construction made from a single-piece stamped steel base, wear-resistant mowing discs, and tungsten carbide-coated knife carriers ensure optimal reliability and longevity.
Other practical innovations from Claas developers in Bad Saulgau include the knife storage box for new and used blades and the introduction of red-painted disc covers and knives, making blade replacement simpler and faster.
In addition to innovative engineering, the smart features of Claas Disco mowers also contribute to their popularity. The automatic slope control system adjusts the Active float ground pressure control and Auto Swather conveyor speed during mowing on slopes, ensuring optimal swath formation while minimizing slippage and wear.
Claas Saulgau GmbH: a cutting-edge forage harvesting center in Germany’s largest grassland region
The success of Claas mowers is largely attributed to two factors: the innovative strength and manufacturing expertise of the employees at the Bad Saulgau site. This forage harvesting center of excellence is located in the heart of one of Europe’s largest grassland regions; many developers, production managers, and manufacturing staff here have agricultural backgrounds and deeply understand the challenges of forage harvesting.
Over the decades, Claas has not only introduced groundbreaking technical innovations but also implemented numerous unique production processes that explain the exceptional quality and durability of Claas forage harvesting equipment.
Looking to the future, Claas has already laid the groundwork with over half a century of experience in mower development and manufacturing. As part of the ForageGO! project, the group has invested more than 50 million euros in infrastructure and production facilities at the site since 2023. New assembly lines for Volto tedders and the introduction of Jaguar have been established to accommodate growth, particularly in the mower and swather segments.
A new logistics center covering 9,500 square meters is currently under construction, scheduled for completion by late summer 2025. This investment not only secures the future of forage harvesting at Claas but also reinforces its position as a global leader in agricultural technology.
250,000 Claas mowers: success and innovation
Source – Claas
Translation with ChatGPT
