Claas Balers Turn 30
Claas built its first variable chamber round baler - the Variant 100 - in 1996, so 2026 marks 30 years and the fifth generation of the Variant name, recently complemented by the new Cerex Series introduced in 2025.
The project is taking place on a three-hectare site, that will become the new home of CLAAS Harvest Centre, Waikato. It will also include a parts, training and demonstration hub for five other dealerships in the North Island.
With groundworks already commenced, stage one includes construction of a six-bay service workshop, a 1000 square metre parts warehouse and a 700 square metre showroom, administration and training centre. Outside will be a 6500 square metre ‘hard stand’ comprising landscaped concrete, asphalt and gravel areas and a one-hectare product demonstration and training area.
Landpower chief executive Richard Wilson says the major investment will underpin increasing demand for high performance farm machinery and after-sales service and support.
“Hamilton is our largest dealership in the North Island and has developed a solid business based on forage harvesting technology,” Wilson says.
“This expansion will spearhead the continued growth in sales of our extensive range of front-line tractors, material handling and feeding equipment.”
Landpower represents brands of farm machinery, including Claas, Amazone and JCB, via a network of 32 company owned and franchised Claas Harvest Centres on both sides of the Tasman.
Claas Harvest Centre, Waikato traces its roots back to the well-known A.M. Bisley & Co, which was established as a seed, grain and produce store on the corner of Ward and Alexandra Streets in Hamilton in 1920.
In 1987, Bisley’s farm machinery business was acquired by Farmrite, the Invercargill-based farm machinery importer and distributor established by Herby and Pam Whyte in 1975.
In 1995, it was rebadged as Landpower, which at that stage operated 12 franchises and about 50 independent dealers throughout Australia and New Zealand.
