New Omaha facility boosts farm equipment research for North American agriculture
CLAAS has opened a new Research and Development Center in Omaha, Nebraska, reinforcing its commitment to agricultural innovation and support for farmers across North America. The new facility represents a major investment in the future of farming and will help the company develop advanced equipment designed specifically for local agricultural conditions.
The opening ceremony brought together company leaders, employees, community representatives, and government officials. The event highlighted the importance of continued investment in agricultural research and technology to meet the evolving needs of farmers.
“This ribbon cutting underscores CLAAS’ confidence in Omaha as a hub for innovation serving North American agriculture," said Jan-Hendrik Mohr, CEO, CLAAS Group. “The new R&D Center brings together local expertise, customer insights and CLAAS engineering capabilities, enabling us to develop agricultural machinery tailored specifically to North American farming. It is a key element of our multi-year, $100 million investment and growth strategy for North America. By combining these strengths in Omaha, we will develop the next generation of high-performance agricultural technology.”
The new center is located on the CLAAS Omaha campus, which serves as the company's North American headquarters. The campus is also home to the LEXION to combine assembly plant and the CLAAS Training Academy. Together, these facilities support manufacturing, engineering, training, and customer service activities that benefit farmers throughout the United States and Canada.
Company leaders said the new center is an important part of a long-term growth strategy focused on innovation and product development. The facility will bring together engineering expertise, customer feedback, and advanced research capabilities to create agricultural machinery suited to North American farming operations.
“We are delighted that CLAAS continues to invest in its Omaha campus and in Nebraska,” said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new CLAAS R&D Center. “For more than 25 years, CLAAS has been an important employer in our region. This investment strengthens our economy, creates high-quality opportunities for skilled workers and reinforces Nebraska’s strong connection to agriculture.”
CLAAS has maintained a presence in Omaha for more than 25 years. Over that time, the company has become an important contributor to the local economy while building strong relationships within the agricultural sector. The latest investment further strengthens Omaha's role as a key location for agricultural manufacturing and technology development.
The Omaha campus employs more than 250 people and supports a wide range of business activities. Manufacturing, engineering, customer support, training, and research teams work together to deliver solutions that help improve farm productivity and efficiency. The new facility is expected to create additional opportunities for skilled professionals and strengthen the region's agricultural workforce.
The Research and Development Center covers approximately 44,800 square feet and provides significantly more capacity than the company's previous off-site research location. The expanded space allows teams to conduct research and testing more effectively while supporting future growth.
The facility features modern office areas, advanced instrumentation, logistics support spaces, equipment storage areas, and specialized testing resources. It also includes a heated indoor wash bay and enhanced security systems. These features will allow engineers to collect valuable field data, study equipment performance, and make improvements more efficiently.
One of the center's primary responsibilities will be coordinating testing activities for North America. While equipment testing will take place on farms across different regions and environments, engineers in Omaha will analyze the results and use the information to improve machinery performance.
This approach helps ensure that agricultural equipment is designed to perform well under a wide range of farming conditions. Engineers can evaluate how machines operate in different crops, soil types, climates, and production systems. The information gathered through these tests supports the development of solutions that better meet the needs of farmers.
The direct connection between field testing and engineering analysis is expected to accelerate innovation. By studying real-world operating conditions, teams can identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reliability, productivity, and overall machine performance.
The new center also reflects the growing importance of research and development within modern agriculture. As farmers face challenges related to productivity, sustainability, labor availability, and changing environmental conditions, advanced equipment and technology can help improve farm operations.
“This facility strengthens our ability to develop, test and refine innovative solutions that directly support our customers in the field. By tailoring our machinery to the local conditions, crops and operating demands of North American agriculture, we can deliver technology that performs where it matters most — on the farm,” said Claudius Knierbein, Head of Engineering for CLAAS Omaha.
In addition to supporting innovation, the investment demonstrates confidence in Nebraska's agricultural industry and workforce. The state's strong farming heritage, skilled labor force, and central location make it an attractive place for agricultural companies seeking long-term growth opportunities.
CLAAS officials noted that collaboration between engineers, farmers, dealers, and training specialists will remain a key part of the company's development process. Bringing these resources together in one location can help speed up the delivery of new technologies and practical solutions for agricultural producers.
The opening of the Research and Development Center marks another significant milestone for CLAAS in North America. By expanding its research capabilities and strengthening its Omaha operations, the company aims to support future advancements in agricultural machinery while continuing to serve farmers across the United States and Canada.
Photo Credit: CLAAS