Production of big round and square balers has been given a €3.3m (£2.8m) boost at the Claas factory in Metz-Woippy, north-eastern France.
Two new assembly lines are now in operation, including a U-shaped pathway for round balers with sub-assembly zones laid out in an unusual herringbone pattern to improve material flow efficiency.
See also: Driver’s view: Blackwater Baling’s New Holland BigBaler 1290 HD
A large area previously occupied by a logistics warehouse has been liberated for production-related operations.
Plus, there are new test stations for larger machines, and factory buildings have had an internal refresh to improve working conditions.
These upgrades follow the earlier opening of a prototype workshop for engineering related to new designs, such as the Cerex 700 variable chamber balers now in production.
The higher-spec balers promise increased bale densities and output, sitting above the Variant series in the Claas line-up.
Meanwhile, a modernised and extended big square baler assembly line will continue to build Quadrant models while adding the forthcoming Cubix twin flywheel machine, for which Claas claims outputs of up to 70t/hour.
Oxbo brings swath merger production to Britain
Oxbo’s CM240 swath merger is now built in Norfolk © Oxbo
The US-Dutch group Oxbo has started building its Twin Merger CM240 belt-type grass swath consolidator at the Norfolk factory that is also home to its pea viners.
Previously manufactured in the US, Oxbo says the move illustrates the group’s commitment to providing innovative forage solutions to farmers in the UK and across Europe through local production.
Steven Skipper, sales manager at the Fakenham plant, said: “Producing the CM240 here allows us to deliver faster, provide better support, and continue building strong relationships with farmers and contractors across the region.”
Oxbo has offered belt mergers as an alternative to tine rakes for more than 20 years; its US-built range spans 6.1m (single belt) to 12m (triple belt), while the European model is a twin-belt design depositing 12.5m of grass to the left, right or centre.
The wheels come off at Moveero
A weakened market, significant downward pricing pressure and strong competition from rival firms are cited by administrators as reasons for their appointment to Britain’s largest manufacturer of off-highway wheel rims.
Moveero, which previously went under the name of GKN Wheels & Structures, recorded sales of £32.5m to December 2024 – down from £44m the year before – and made a loss of £4.4m versus £242,000 in 2023.
Its parent group is headquartered in the US, with rim and hub operations there and in Denmark that continue to trade profitably.
The UK arm of Moveero makes a wide range of wheel rims for trailed agricultural implements and off‑highway vehicles such as tractors, combines and telehandlers, as well as forestry and construction machines.
A related unit, Autostructures, fabricates specialist assemblies, including chassis for JCB Fastrac tractors.
Appointing administrators has allowed the UK operations based at Telford in Shropshire to continue trading while buyers are sought, with all of the approximately 250 employees retained.
Joint administrator Chris Pole explained: “We have agreed ongoing support and funding from the companies’ key customers, which will enable the current production and delivery schedules to be completed.”
New owner for Kioti UK
The Kioti tractor, farm buggy and grounds care equipment distributor in Britain has changed hands with the promise that dealers and customers will see little difference from today’s operations.
Previously owned by Dutch business Pols Group, Kioti UK has been acquired by Services, Machinery & Trucks (SMT GB), based at Duxford, near Cambridge.
General manager Patrick Desmond continues to lead the Kioti team, with machine preparation and administrative support now handled in the UK rather than overseas.
SMT Group employs more than 2,000 people distributing compact and heavy equipment in 30 countries; it has been the exclusive dealer in Britain for Volvo construction equipment since acquiring Volvo CE’s in-house operation in 2017.
Ryan Hollebone, director of compact equipment at SMT GB, said: “The same Kioti team will support the network of 58 independent dealers exactly as they always have, while gaining the additional resources and stability that come with being part of the wider SMT organisation.”
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