Claas sees sales rise by 1%
Combine, tractor and forage kit maker Claas made sales of €3,824m (£3,199m) in the year up to 30 September 2013, up 11% from €3,434m (£2,873m) in the previous year.
While the firm’s sales in western Europe were down slightly overall, those in Germany, France and eastern Europe rose and those in central Europe were steady. Meanwhile sales in the USA and Canada were good, thanks partly to farmers receiving crop insurance payouts for crop failures caused by drought.
The company employed 7% more people than in the previous year, with the total number of employees hitting 9,697. Half of these are now based outside of Germany.
The expansion of the Claas factory in the Russian city of Krasnodar plus the acquisition of the Chinese agricultural equipment manufacturer Shandong Jinyee is also expected to give the family-owned company a more international structure.
Claas takes over Chinese harvester maker
