Farm Machinery Parts Protected
The European market leader in combine harvesters has protected its parts logistics center with an innovative video surveillance solution.
Family-owned CLAAS is one of the world's leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery, since its founding in 1913. Headquartered in Harsewinkel, Westphalia, the company is the European market leader in combine harvesters. CLAAS is the world market leader in self-propelled forage harvesters as well as leading in agricultural technology with tractors, agricultural balers and grassland harvesting machines.
The product range also includes state-of-the-art agricultural information technology. CLAAS employs over 12,000 people worldwide and achieved a turnover of €6.1billion in the 2023 financial year.
Harvest Breakdowns Require Rapid Spare Parts
The machines are used intensively during the harvest season and interruptions due to breakdowns are particularly critical. Customer service therefore focuses on the rapid availability of spare parts.
The CLAAS Parts Logistics Center in Hamm-Uentrop has been supplying CLAAS customers worldwide with spare parts since 1999. From the highly automated logistics center, which operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, CLAAS supplies customers with high-quality spare parts for agricultural machinery in the fastest possible way — by air freight, truck or cab.
To secure the logistics center, an innovative video surveillance solution was required to prevent and investigate crimes such as unauthorized entry into the premises or building areas. In addition, movements in all relevant security areas and the logistics center's processes were to be extensively documented.
CLAAS needed a uniform security system to analyze alarms from different areas and coordinate follow-up measures, as well as an intelligent video analysis system that reliably reports unauthorized movements in security areas with a low false alarm rate. Of course, they also had to respect data protection laws and the concerns of the works council.
Together with system integrator Hermann Einberger GmbH, Geutebrück designed and implemented a solution that comprehensively meets all current requirements and is open to future expansion.
Family Businesses Who Care About Customers
It allows the integration of scan data from deliveries for detailed process documentation and optimization for example, as well as automated access control using license plate recognition. Networking the site with other CLAAS sites for centralized operation and administration from the CLAAS headquarters in Harsewinkel is also an option.
Christian Vogt, Vice President Group Security CLAAS, said: "It wasn't just the technology that convinced us. The good customer service and close cooperation with Einberger and the direct contact with the manufacturer Geutebrück guarantee us the best possible support even now, after the installation, during operation.
"Whether it's questions from our operators, support for our administrators, ideas for the extended application or individual requests: we feel that these two companies really care about their customers. They are true family businesses, just like us."
