Forage harvesting has always been a numbers game – the more horses the quicker the job gets done – which is why Krone stepped in with the BiG X when power demand outstripped even the biggest tractors of the 1990s.

The company presented the results of its research and development into self-propelled harvesters in 2000, rolling out the BiG X, as it had been called, which had a claimed power output of 540hp.

This performance was provided by a V8 Mercedes Benz OM 502 engine capable of an output of 605hp.

When commercial production started for the 2003 season, there were two models available.

Merc engines

The first was the 605hp BiG X V8 driven by the MB V8, while the second was the Big X V12 which had the larger OM444 engine from Mercedes Benz. This had 780hp on tap at a time when 200hp was considered a mighty tractor.

Ireland had to wait until 2005 before the BiG X arrived, with two machines being sold by the end of that year, while worldwide at that time, there were over 200 machines already operating

Line up of harvesters — Historic line-up of BiG X forage harvesters

500hp may seem small by today’s standards but it would still fill trailers quicker than any towed forage harvester of the time, and be smaller, lighter and cheaper than the larger models.

2005 was also notable, for it was the year that Krone made the world’s first self-propelled harvester prototype that broke through the 1,000hp ceiling, a feat which has only just been followed by John Deere while Claas and New Holland still languish in the high 900hp sector.

To do this, the Krone machine was equipped with two synchronised six-cylinder motors. This family of second generation machines grew over the next few years to provide power outputs of from 500hp to over 1,100hp.

BiG X wins awards

The model year of 2009 saw the range awarded a further DLG Silver medal for the sprung drum floor on the BiG X 650, which enables the machine to better cope with an uneven crop flow.

It was in 2010 that Krone launched the third generation of BiG X forage harvesters. Gone was the smaller machine, as was the twin engine set-up, replaced by larger single units with the BiG X 700 having a V8 engine, and the BiG X 850 and 1100 running V12 engines.

Krone Stand at Agritechnica — Agritechnica has always been important to Krone, with a silver medal being awarded for the lifting cab as fitted to the nearest machine here

Another three years passed before Krone entered the lower horsepower segment again, when it launched the BiG X 480 and 580.

These smaller models featured a narrower 630mm chopping drum, designed to deliver an improved power-to-width ratio and saw the introduction of independent rear wishbone suspension, and further improved rear visibility and manoeuvrability, making the smaller BiG X machines even more efficient and user-friendly, according to Krone.

The manufacturer had opened a dedicated production facility for self-propelled forage harvesters in Spelle, Germany, in October of 2013.

The new building was 265m long and 27m wide and laid out to ease the supply of components and increase the efficiency of production.

Smaller series revamped

Along with the new, small chopper series, which was complimented in 2015 by the BiG X 530 and 630, Krone also presented new maize headers at Agritechnica 2013, both in the two-part and three-part segment.

This larger header was a highlight of the company’s presence at the event, as it was its first six-row maize header known as the EasyCollect 450-2, which had a working width of 4.50m.

BiG X with maize header — Maize for forage and bio-digesters is a major crop on the continent and Krone led the field in header development

The company did not neglect the high horsepower end of the market though, and the fourth generation of Krone forage harvesters was launched in 2017, with the range-topping BiG X 1180 being added the following year.

This last model had 1,156hp and secured Krone’s position as the manufacturer of the most powerful forage harvester in the world.

Another innovation at the time was the LiftCab, which elevated the entire cab by 70cm, a development which saw Krone receive its second DLG silver medal award.

More power please

Further expansion of the range came in 2022, when the large BiG X series expanded to include the BiG X 980 and BiG X 1080.

These were added in response to the increasing global demand in the power range spanning 900-1,000hp.

Krone 1180 forage harvester — The Krone BiG X 1180 is claimed to be the most powerful forage harvester on the market

2023 saw the launch of a unique mechanism for sharpening chopping drum knives, with a new patented grinding system that was awarded Krone’s third DLG silver medal, all for innovations in forage harvesters.

Irish market

The first BiG X 1180 was sold into Ireland for the 2021 season, and there are now 13 of what is still the world’s largest harvester in operation in this country alone.

Dual wheels make an already large machine even more imposing

In total, over 220 Krone BiG X self-propelled harvesters have been sold across the island of Ireland to date, and demand continues to grow, according to the Importers, Farmhand Ltd.

So much so that two new BiG X dealers were appointed last year, McMullan Agri, Co. Antrim, and Irwin Bros in Co. Fermanagh which joined existing dealers Jim Power Agri, Co. Waterford and Tom Shaw Farm Machinery, Co. Offaly.

The BiG X today

Two series of harvesters are now available, with a total of 10 models.

1180 harvester — The BiG X 1180 sells well in Ireland where its ability to cope with heavy crops is appreciated

The small series of BiG X 480 to 630 covers the range of power from 490-653hp, while the more powerful models, from 687- 1,156hp, are available in the large series which start with the BiG X 680 proceeding up to the 1180.

All the harvesters are now equipped with the Krone SmartConnect telemetry unit which, in conjunction with various software packages, can record data automatically in real time and forward it to farm management systems for further processing.

Merc engines

BiG X wins awards

Smaller series revamped

More power please

Irish market

The BiG X today

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