CLAYSON

In 1906, Leon Claeys, a Belgian mechanic, began building threshing machines. By 1909, he had established his own factory in Zedelgem, Belgium, to manufacture harvesting machines. In 1952, Claeys produced the first European self-propelled combine harvester, and by the 1960s, Claeys had become one of the largest combine manufacturers in Europe. In 1964, the majority of Claeys was acquired by Sperry New Holland. In 1967, the company changed its name to Clayson, and in 1986 it merged with Ford. In 1991, Ford was acquired by Fiatagri and became New Holland.