Claas has received two AE50 Awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ASABE), recognising the technological advances behind the Jaguar 1000 forage harvester series and the Orbis 10500 corn header. The awards will be presented at the ASABE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in February 2026.
The AE50 Awards celebrate innovations that deliver genuine engineering progress, with Claas recognised this year for combining high-output harvesting with automation, digital intelligence and operator-focused design.
At the centre of the awards is the Jaguar 1000 series, a new-generation forage harvester platform developed around efficiency at extreme throughput levels. With engine outputs up to 1,110hp, the machines feature what Claas describes as the widest crop flow on the market, fully hydraulic pre-compression and a 310mm-diameter corncracker to ensure consistent chop quality and effective grain processing at high outputs.
Automation plays a key role. The Jaguar 1000 integrates the latest Claas assistance systems, including advanced machine monitoring and the Nutrimeter system, providing real-time insights into crop quality and harvesting performance. These technologies are designed to reduce operator workload while maintaining consistent output and forage quality across changing conditions.
The Orbis 10500 corn header was highlighted by ASABE judges for its precision engineering and ground-following capability. With a 10.5m working width (equivalent to 14 rows at 75cm spacing), the row-independent header uses independently driven cutting and crop flow components, automatically synchronised to forward speed and chop length. Auto Contour and actively controlled stabiliser wheels allow the header to react quickly to uneven terrain, maintaining consistent cutting height at higher operating speeds.
Together, the two award-winning products underline Claas’s focus on intelligent harvesting systems that combine scale, automation and precision to improve efficiency across modern forage operations.
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