Agco’s Square Baler Classifications

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A Hesston by Massey Ferguson 1800 Series square baler. (Photo courtesy of Agco.)

In an effort to help consumers find the best equipment for a given task, Agco and Hesston Massey Ferguson established a standardized classification system for small and large square balers, which was officially unveiled at the 2017 World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. This system breaks down different pieces of equipment into several categories ranging from Class 1 to Class 8. Depending on the classification, buyers will know what types of operations a square baler is best for, the plunger force, the maximum bale size, and the proper operating weight.

Classes Covered

To give you an idea of what the different classes cover, you can look at Class 1, which is ideal for equine operations, has a plunger force of 15 to 44 kilonewtons, a bale size of 14 x 18 inches (36 x 46 centimeters), and a maximum weight of 50 to 85 pounds (23 to 39 kilograms). On the other end of the spectrum, you’ll find that a Class 8 baler is perfect for biomass operations, has a plunger force of 750-plus kilonewtons, a 3 x 4-foot (0.9 x 1.2-meter) baler size, and a maximum weight of between 1,400 and 2,000 pounds (635 and 907 kilograms). Other classifications in between fit within those ranges and will work well in dairy, export, and commercial operations depending on their specifications.

Agco Brands Covered

As of now, this specification only applies to square balers sold by Agco companies and brands, including Hesston by Massey Ferguson and Challenger. The reason for this is that Agco has used its decades of experience to determine what facts and figures are most important to its customer base and then used those factors to separate equipment into different categories. This doesn’t mean that this classification couldn’t expand to include other manufacturers in the future, but the goal at this time is for Agco to give hay producers as much information as possible when making a purchasing decision on a small or large square baler.

Square Balers On TractorHouse.com

You’ll find thousands of new and used square balers for sale on TractorHouse.com, including used Agco square balers and a wide variety of Challenger and Hesston square balers.