CLAAS has made substantial progress on its new Research and Development Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
The 44,800-square-foot facility, which broke ground in August 2025, remains on track for completion by the end of 2026. Site preparation work has included full leveling, storm drainage infrastructure installation and establishment of a water retention pond to support sustainable site development.
"The progress we're seeing on this project is incredibly exciting for our entire engineering team," said Markus Koch, head of engineering for CLAAS Omaha. "Establishing a dedicated R&D Center here in the United States allows us to work closer to the farmers, crops and conditions that define North American agriculture."
The new facility will provide expanded office and workshop space, enhanced logistics and instrumentation areas, and improved security measures to protect critical intellectual property. It will serve as the central hub for all CLAAS North American testing and analysis activities, supporting the development of harvesting and agricultural technologies tailored to U.S. and Canadian farming operations.
While field testing will continue across farms throughout North America, the Omaha R&D Center will be where engineers analyze data, evaluate performance and advance machine development for future CLAAS equipment.
The R&D Center is being built on the southwest corner of the CLAAS Omaha campus, which houses the company's North American headquarters, LEXION combine assembly plant and CLAAS Training Academy. The campus currently employs more than 250 people.
"This facility strengthens our ability to develop, test and refine innovative solutions that directly support our customers in the field," Koch said.
The investment represents a significant expansion of CLAAS's North American engineering capabilities and reinforces the company's long-term commitment to the region.
