DRIVE TECHNOLOGY
SPECIALISTS
A member of the world-renowned Claas Group, Germany-based Claas Industrietechnik is a leading manufacturer of drive technology and hydraulics for a range of industry sectors including agriculture and construction. Victoria Hattersley talks to Thomas Spiering, the company’s sales director, to find out about some of its most innovative and unique products, and plans for future growth.
C
laas Industrietechnik, unlike the majority of the Claas Group, is not in the business of combines and tractors. Instead, this autonomous member of the group has made a name for itself as a leading producer of unique drive technology systems and hydraulics. And whilst the company supplies its products internally within the Claas Group, ensuring them a steady supply of high-quality, great value drive systems, it also has a number of high profile clients in a surprisingly wide range of industry sectors. A large percentage of its clients are from eastern European countries, such as Russia and Belarus, although it also serves the rest of Europe and occasionally exports as far afield as Australia. 112 Industry Europe
The company is based in Paderborn, Germany, where it currently employs about 600 people involved in the production of its system solutions. The production systems enable Claas Industrietechnik to achieve a highly developed production depth including all key process steps from raw material processing to precise final processing and tested products, thus ensuring high quality and flexibility. In the past few strained economic years, Claas Industrietechnik also invested in infrastructure and processes, such as an environmentally friendly paint shop using water-based painting systems. Last year a new testing bench was installed to further enlarge its testing skills and capacities. In various testing processes Claas
Industrietechnik is checking the function and robustness of the various components and modules and their interaction. “For the future and after the extensive restructuring of the last few years,” adds Mr Spiering, “we are running a 2015 internal factory programme which will further focus on improving operational excellence in different areas. There will be a particular focus on improving logistics systems.”
Markets and clients Whilst it plans to expand its range of markets even more in the coming years, Claas Industrietechnik currently supplies its products to four key sectors: agriculture, municipal, construction equipment and industry
