CLAAS Agricultural Equipment

On Wednesday, April 13, 2011, we took a bus to the CLASS Agricultural Equipment storage facility in Moscow. Our group was sufficient smaller for this field trip, as Helen was the only Russian who joined us and Shelli and Dr. Buffington were both ill. Although everyone was missed, the smaller group definitely provided a more intimate experience and those present had a great time goofing around on the bus. The drive was not as long as the trips usually are, as the facilities are located within the Moscow region.
After our brief drive (only an hour or so) we arrived on the location. CLAAS is a German company that produces agricultural equipment for farmers (tractors especially). CLAAS is the largest agricultural equipment company in Europe and provides numerous products to farmers across Russia. The equipment is very modern and renowned for its quality. The specific facilities we were touring did not manufacture the equipment on site, but was a storage and distribution center for the products.
Three people greeted us upon arrival, the first man being the head of the marketing and communications department. The first man, who actually is a graduate of Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University, showed us around the warehouse that houses the equipment. There is a very specific and complicated process by which the products are categorized and stored. I cannot say that it was not confusing. We were also informed that equipment ordered by Russian farmer must be shipped to this location and then it may be distributed to the farmers. It is a very extensive process that our tour guide deals with, as there are many tariffs and processes required by customs for the shipping of these products. I was very impressed by his knowledge and understanding of the company.
After touring the large (and chilly) warehouse, we entered into the offices of the company. We were shown the places where dealings with customs and technical processes are made. After the brief office tour, the other two people who greeted us initially sat us down in a business conference room and gave us an overview of the company. I was very impressed to learn that CLAAS is a family owned company, It was founded in the early 1900s and to this day is still owned by people within the CLAAS family. The granddaughter and son of the creator are the official owners of the company but other family members hold shares within the company. I thought this was very interesting and I was very impressed that they were able to maintain the integrity of the company this way.
After the initial overview, we were told that within Russia plans have been set into motion to create a manufacturing center in the Krasnodar region of Russia. This would be a great economic opportunity for the Russians as the manufacturing plant would provide many jobs and economic growth for the region. I am happy to see that European countries are investing more and more into Russia. Agriculture is still very much a early business for Russia and I think the more European businesses invest in Russia, the stronger Russia’s agriculture programs will become. CLAAS is a great example of the future of Russian agriculture and I hope to see many more instances of this.