Helmut Claas

Helmut Claas (born July 16, 1926 in Harsewinkel ; † January 5, 2021 ) was a German entrepreneur . He was managing partner until 1996 and chairman of the supervisory board of Claas until 2010 .

Life

Helmut Claas was born in Harsewinkel as the son of company founder August Claas and his wife Paula . You managed the agricultural machinery factory with around 100 employees. Helmut attended elementary school in Harsewinkel, then the Evangelisch Stiftische Gymnasium in Gütersloh and graduated from high school Laurentianum Warendorf in September 1946. He began training as a machine fitter and did several internships, including at Miele . From 1948 to 1954 he studied mechanical engineering at the TH Hannover , where he also obtained his diploma and continued for a year in agricultureStudied Grande Ecole Nationale d'Agriculture in Paris. During his studies in Hanover, he became a member of the Catholic German student union Teuto-Rhenania in the CV in Hanover.

After completing his studies, Claas founded a sales company in France and joined the company of the same name in 1958, which was founded by his father and his brothers. He was initially responsible for the technical area at Claas. In 1962 he joined the management and in 1978 took over the management as managing partner. In 1996 the company was converted into a limited partnership and Helmut Claas became chairman of the supervisory board and the shareholders' committee. In October 2010 he passed the chairmanship of the Supervisory Board on to his daughter Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser . On October 24, 2013, he suffered a serious car accident. He died on January 5, 2021 at the age of 94.

Act

During his work at Claas, Helmut Claas developed over 100 patents, the rights of which he held until his death.

During his active time in the company, the Dominator , which he claims to be the most successful combine harvester series in Europe, as well as a hybrid threshing and separation system were developed. The second Lexion combine harvester series was also developed under his leadership. With the Jaguar , Claas was able to achieve world market leadership with a share of around 50 percent in the field of forage harvesters .

Claas supported the German Agricultural Museum at the University of Hohenheim and financed a new exhibition hall there.

family

Helmut Claas was the eldest son of the founding couple, his younger siblings Irmgard Baumhüter née Claas and Reinhold Claas, graduate industrial engineer, (born March 26, 1931), also work in the company.

Claas was married to Erika Claas from 1972 until her death in 2016. He and his wife had a daughter who also works for the company.

Awards

Helmut Claas had been a member of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers since 1962 and for many years a board member and board member of the company association of agricultural machinery and farm tractor companies in the Association of German Machinery and Plant Manufacturers . He is the holder of four honorary doctorates and an honorary professorship, an honorary citizen of his hometown Harsewinkel and holder of several medals of merit:

• 1986: Honorary citizenship of the city of Harsewinkel
• 1986: Honorary doctorate from the Szent István Agricultural University in Gödöllő , Hungary .
• 1987: Merit Medal of the State of Baden-Württemberg
• 1987: Honorary degree from the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering at Szent István University in Gödöllő, Hungary
• 1998: Honorary Doctorate from Cranfield University , Great Britain
• 2000: Honorary doctorate from the University of Hohenheim , Germany
• 2002: Medal of Honor for Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau
• 2004: Award of Merit from the Institution of Agricultural Engineers
• 2004: Honorary Senator of the University of Hohenheim
• 2006: Honorary doctorate from the Angel Kantschew University in Ruse in Bulgaria
• 2009: Honorary Professor at the Goryachkin University in Moscow
• 2009: Knight of the Legion of Honor
• 2013: Professor Niklas Medal in silver from the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection

Claas was also an honorary senator of the University of Stuttgart .

Web links

• Helmut Claas in the Munzinger archive ( beginning of article freely accessible)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Helmut Claas - farmer, engineer, global entrepreneur. In: claas.co.uk. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
2. ↑ Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser is the new CLAAS supervisory board chairwoman. In: claas.de. 2010, archived from the original on December 26, 2010 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
3. ^ Agricultural machinery entrepreneur had a serious accident. In: welt.de . October 25, 2013, accessed January 7, 2021 . 
4. ↑ Helmut Claas received an honorary doctorate from the University of Stuttgart-Hohenheim. In: claas.fr. 2000, archived from the original on August 3, 2012 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
5. ^ Helmut Claas received a high Dutch distinction. In: claas.fr. 2002, archived from the original on August 1, 2012 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
6. ↑ Helmut Claas received a high British distinction. In: claas.it. 2004, archived from the original on July 23, 2012 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
7. ↑ Dr. hc mult. Helmut Claas becomes Honorary Senator of the University of Hohenheim. In: uni-protocol.de. December 6, 2004, archived from the original on May 2, 2005 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
8. ↑ Honorary doctorate for Helmut Claas: Bulgarian University Rousse came to Harsewinkel. In: claas.com. 2006, archived from the original on July 23, 2012 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
9. ↑ Entrepreneur Helmut Claas appointed Knight of the Legion of Honor. In: botschaft-frankreich.de. May 2, 2012, archived from the original on January 30, 2016 ; accessed on January 7, 2021 . 
10. ^ Professor Niklas Medal. In: BMELV.de . November 13, 2015, archived from the original on July 21, 2017 ; Retrieved September 9, 2013 . 
11. ^ Entrepreneur with a solid grip on the ground: Helmut Claas is 85. In: The bell . July 16, 2011, accessed January 7, 2021 .