My career to date:

I studied engineering with the focus on logistics at the ENIM Engineering School in France. During the course of my studies, I completed my final project thesis at CLAAS Tractor in which I could deepen my knowledge in the subjects of Lean Management and project management. After my studies, I started directly working as an engineer in the manufacturing engineering department, where I was mainly responsible for the new cabins for our tractors. Now, I am the manager of one team at the assembly line in the production. 

How I came to CLAAS: 

CLAAS has a cooperation with the ENIM Engineering School. Since I grew up in the countryside, I was also familiar with tractors and agricultural machinery. The technical complexity and diversity of the tractors as well as the opportunity to work on a large production site were finally the decisive factors for my application at CLAAS.

My greatest challenge so far at CLAAS:

My greatest challenge at CLAAS Tractor is to increase the productivity and efficiency of my team every day in order to achieve the best possible results. As a manager, I also face the challenge of meeting the requirements for our premium products and of passing on the CLAAS spirit to my employees every day.

The corporate culture at CLAAS is characterised by…

…a high level of team spirit and low hierarchies. Managers and employees are working hand in hand in order to obtain high-quality products.

What inspires me about working for CLAAS…

…is the high complexity of a tractor. For an engineer it is a very interesting product as it combines mechanic, hydraulic, electrical and design aspects.

What makes CLAAS stand out as an employer from other companies:

CLAAS believes in the competences of the employees and gives them the opportunity to face challenges and to develop their skills. As a family company, CLAAS is long-term orientated which is reflected in decisions of the management and in our investment politics. I especially felt the family spirit during the 100 anniversary celebrations, where all locations celebrated together as one big family.

My personal career tip for students:

Learn as many languages as you can – it is important to be able to communicate with people all over the world. Make as many personal contacts as you can right from the beginning on – it will help you immensely in your future career.

After completing my degree in Management and Economics (which was taught in English) at the university in Magdeburg, as well as many internships in various companies and industries, I worked for a consultancy firm in China for six months while working on my dissertation. Then I completed my Master's degree at the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark, with a focus on "strategic management". I wrote my Master's dissertation at CLAAS in the Central Quality Management department. I am currently the Product Manager for Developments, which should make our powerful CLAAS machines even more intelligent in networked agriculture.

How I came to CLAAS: 

While preparing my Master's dissertation, I wanted to work in an international yet family-led company. On the back of a speculative application to CLAAS, I was given the opportunity to actively, and with my own area of responsibility, formulate and implement international quality strategies in the Central Quality Management department. After completing my degree, I joined as a Product Manager in the System-based Service Development department.

What I like most about my work:

Our department – System-based Service Development – is responsible for all new technology relating to the "Internet of Things". In everyday life, we use a navigation device with dynamic route guidance or interpret location-related information using a smartphone, for example. We develop the technology and applications that are related to this, as well as the respective business models for agricultural technology, such as harvest logistics optimisation. It is particularly interesting because, within each research project, we work together with universities, institutes and other companies, and we can build on the knowledge we acquire to solve our own problems, but also to broaden the horizon for CLAAS as a whole.

My specific tasks:

I watch the market – I analyse the competition and their products, and on customer days, I make it possible for project managers, developers and customers to directly exchange ideas relating to a certain topic. Building on this, we define requirements for products and systems, and carry out product-launch calculations. Moreover, I present the market requirements in budget processes and communicate the required technology and their connection to the company. Within our research projects, I support the Communication department with press releases, press appointments and video shoots, as well as helping at trade fairs.

My greatest challenge so far at CLAAS:

One of the biggest challenges in my current job was organising the first customer day. Along with the organisational side of things, I was responsible for ensuring that we got valuable and practical feedback about our development topics from the customers we had invited, and it therefore meant I had to select the right presentation formats, questions and workshop methods – without knowing these customers. Thanks to in-depth exchanges with experienced colleagues and a productive working atmosphere during the day's event, we were then able to use this feedback constructively so that it had an influence on our product developments.

The corporate culture at CLAAS is characterised by …

… Our enthusiasm for innovative ideas

… Our approach to achieve our goals

… Our loyalty as employees towards our company

… Our customers' trust in the products and services we offer

What inspires me about working for CLAAS:

So far, my tasks have always had an interdepartmental perspective. Alongside my particular interest in getting to know more and more about various company functions and how they relate to one another, I am impressed by the helpfulness and down-to-earthness of many colleagues with expert knowledge. There is a feeling of togetherness at CLAAS and I have never perceived it to be stronger in any other company in the industry. 

In addition, as an employee at CLAAS you are not just a number – whoever is involved and wants to promote the company will be taken seriously. Moreover, CLAAS has been growing continuously for years and, as a diverse company, offers a wide range of opportunities to get involved.

What makes CLAAS stand out as an employer from other companies:

CLAAS is the perfect company when starting off your career because, as a career entrant, it is big enough for you to develop your interests as a career starter on a professional or international level, but it is still clear enough to be able to understand your own tasks within the overall context of the product and organisational structure. You are quickly given responsibility and a wide range of training opportunities for further development. And at the get-togethers for students, trainees and career entrants, you quickly make new friends from different departments, and you also feel right at home in private. 

My personal career tip for students:

In addition to good professional qualifications and the willingness to learn about new subject areas, it is important to recognise which tasks and goals you are particularly interested in. If no suitable position is advertised, a speculative application stating your interests is always advisable – you often get the chance to apply for positions that have already been thought about, but have not been advertised online.  

Academic qualifications:

• European Master of Science in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness (Rennes, FR)
  
• Master of Science in Agrarökonomie (Kiel, DE)
  
• Bachelor of Science in Agrarwissenschaften (Kiel, DE)
  

My career to date at CLAAS:

• Since October 2013: Regional Export Manager (Middle Europe)
  
• 2010 until 2013: Manager Corporate Development (from April 2013: Senior Manager Corporate Development)
  
• 2006 until 2010: Pricing/market research adviser
  

How I came to CLAAS:

I chose the direct entry route – especially for people like me with an agricultural background, CLAAS is well-known as a company with outstanding products and a great image as an employer.

What I like most about my work:

As a Regional Export Manager (Middle Europe) I am responsible for the distribution of CLAAS products in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In these countries, I appear as a representative of the company CLAAS and stand as a central point of contact between the importer and the CLAAS functional areas. In addition to the daily business operations, it is also important to continuously develop the sales structures.

Particularly, I like the huge variety in dealing with people and CLAAS machines. Daily new challenges and countless wonderful experiences contribute to my passion for CLAAS.

My specific tasks:

Currently I am working on various topics related to our tractors. After the AXION 800 was awarded for "Tractor of the Year" at Agritechnica, there is a huge demand from different markets. In addition, of course, on our agenda are various strategic topics related to the medium-term orientation of our sales structure.

My greatest challenge so far at CLAAS:

At a VIP customer service event at the CLAAS test site, I had to show a young woman from China how to drive a CLAAS tractor. I had no idea that this young lady had no driving experience at all, and what's more, only spoke Chinese. Fortunately the XERION 5000 had a GPS guidance system and a CRUISE PILOT.

I envisage the following promotion opportunities for myself at CLAAS:

The international orientation and excellent staff development opportunities at CLAAS mean that virtually all doors are open to people. I see myself continue working in the sales business. My passion for agricultural machinery as well as dealing with customers and channel partners bring me much joy.

The corporate culture at CLAAS is characterised by …

... consistently striving for improvement, while at the same time people are always focussed. There is also the important principle expressed by Helmut Claas: "If you want to be a leader, you must keep running."

What inspires me about working for CLAAS:

My daily work, which involves contact with people all over the world, is extremely varied and is always bringing up something new. Constant exchanges between the team members produce the best ideas for tomorrow's markets. My heart beats purely higher when using and looking at our first-class products.

What makes CLAAS stand out as an employer from other companies:

CLAAS offers its staff the opportunity to be part of a huge family. Our overall task is to feeding the world's growing population. Innovative products, motivated employees and fault-free processes are the key to success.

My personal career tip for students:

Be like a duck: Stay calm on the surface, but paddle like hell underneath.

My career to date:

I did my Bachelor's degree as well as my Master's degree in "International Business and Management" with a special focus on supply chain management at University of Applied Sciences of Osnabruck. During my studies, I spent one semester abroad in South Africa. I made my first practical experiences in different internships in Germany and China.

After finishing my Master's thesis in the central logistics department of a major German automobile manufacturer, I worked for an IT service provider in the area of SAP logistic systems for 1.5 years. Since 2012, I am working as a Supplier Manager at CLAAS Industrietechnik in Paderborn.

How I came to CLAAS:

Working at an IT service provider was enriching, but I was missing the tangible. I wanted to concentrate more on the whole optimisation of logistic processes again and this especially in the business environment of an OEM.

As my wife is also working at CLAAS in Harsewinkel, she then drew my attention to an interesting job advertisement at CLAAS Industrietechnik in Paderborn. I then applied for the job and have been a Claasian ever since.

What I especially like about my work:

Every day is different. Because I manage about 300 suppliers, every day brings new challenges and turns. Travel, the contact with and the optimisation of our different suppliers make my daily work very interesting and varied.

My tasks at CLAAS:

I am responsible for the optimisation of our suppliers' logistic processes. By negotiating logistics agreements, we define delivery and packaging concepts and we implement the electronic linkage of our suppliers to CLAAS systems. Moreover, we install a Performance Management regarding delivery accuracy. In short: I take care of all logistic processes from A to Z – from the supplier to the receiving at CLAAS.

My greatest challenge so far at CLAAS:

The successful introduction of returnable containers with more than 120 suppliers in Germany and abroad. Our target was to receive these containers directly from our suppliers in order to supply our assembly line with the right container and the right fill quantity.

The corporate culture at CLAAS is characterised by...

…flat hierarchy levels, short ways of decision-making and a high level of responsibility for every employee.

What inspires me about working for CLAAS:

Most of all the independent and international work across company borders. Additionally, the challenges of remaining cool in negotiations as well as completing the negotiations in the interest of CLAAS – that's what I feel enthusiastic about.

What makes CLAAS stand out as an employer from other companies?

CLAAS employees identify strongly with the company and the family Claas. There is a very cooperative and friendly working environment between colleagues and you always find an open ear. Furthermore, the wide range of tasks and the responsibility granted right from the start are characteristic for working at CLAAS.

My personal career tip for students and graduates:

Pragmatic thinking and the courage to jump into cold water again and again.