Calmer Corn Heads
Calmer Corn Heads manufactures custom-built corn heads and patented BT Chopper stalk roll upgrade kits and replacement parts for North American corn farmers operating John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Geringhoff, AGCO/Gleaner, Massey Ferguson, and Drago combines.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersLynn Center, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Calmer Corn Heads does
Calmer Corn Heads, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned farm equipment manufacturer founded in 1994 by Marion Calmer and headquartered in Lynn Center, Illinois. The company designs and builds custom corn heads and patented performance parts targeting North American corn farmers, with products engineered to manage cornstalk residue, reduce kernel loss, and enable no-till and continuous-corn farming practices. Its core technology platform is the patented BT Chopper stalk roll system, which uses multi-length, stair-stepped blades within an open feeding chamber to chop cornstalks into 1.5-2 inch segments for accelerated decomposition and improved agronomic outcomes.
The company's product portfolio includes custom-built corn heads available in 12-inch, 15-inch, 20-inch, 22-inch, and 30-inch row spacings (built-to-order in any row spacing, number of rows, or color), BT Chopper upgrade kits compatible with John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Geringhoff, AGCO/Gleaner, Massey Ferguson, and Drago combines, multi-zone beveled stripper plates, grass knives, chrome-pin gathering chains, slowdown sprockets, and the newer Calmer Concaves line for combine threshing. The company holds 27+ granted US patents covering stalk roll flute geometries, narrow row head units, stripper plate designs, and concave configurations, supported by third-party agronomic validation (e.g., University of Illinois study citing a 9.7 bu/acre corn-on-corn yield advantage).
Calmer operates a direct-to-farmer sales model with no e-commerce and no dealer network; sales are quote-based and handled via phone (309-629-9000) with founder-led technical support including an after-hours line and Marion Calmer's personal Harvesting Helpline. Demand generation relies heavily on customer testimonials (notably world record yield champions such as Dave Hula and Randy Dowdy), farm show presence, and an extensive YouTube/video library on combine settings. Revenue is generated across three streams: custom corn head sales (highest ASP, build-to-order), hardware upgrade kits (mid ASP, cross-OEM compatibility), and replacement performance parts (lower ASP, consumable-driven).
Calmer Corn Heads firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Calmer Corn Heads
- Legal name
- Calmer Corn Heads, Inc.
- Website
- https://calmercornheads.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Calmer Corn Heads manufactures custom-built corn heads and patented BT Chopper stalk roll upgrade kits and replacement parts for North American corn farmers operating John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Geringhoff, AGCO/Gleaner, Massey Ferguson, and Drago combines.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Calmer Corn Heads industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Harvesting Equipment
- NAICS
- Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111)
- SIC
- Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wear Parts & Maintenance Kits (Knives, Belts, Chains, Bearings, Liners) (AFAAAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Corn (Maize) Farming (AFAGAAAB)
Keywords
Where Calmer Corn Heads is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lynn Center
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Calmer Corn Heads business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Upgrade Kits: Sale of BT Chopper stalk roll upgrade kits for existing corn heads from John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Geringhoff, AGCO/Gleaner, Massey Ferguson, and Drago brands. Kits include stalk rolls, stripper plates, sprockets, and gathering chains.
- Custom Corn Head Sales: Built-to-order custom corn heads manufactured in any row spacing, any number of rows, and any color to match the customer's combine. Includes standard and optional features.
- Performance Parts: Individual replacement parts including grass knives, gathering chain sprockets, chrome-pin gathering chains, concaves for combines.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Calmer Corn Heads product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Calmer Corn Heads manufactures custom-built row-independent corn heads and patented corn head performance parts, primarily the BT Chopper stalk roll system. Products are built-to-order in any row spacing, number of rows, or color to match the customer's combine, and are compatible with John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Geringhoff, AGCO/Gleaner, Massey Ferguson, and Drago equipment. Upgrade kits allow existing factory corn heads to be retrofitted with Calmer's chopping stalk rolls, beveled stripper plates, and gathering components.
Product overview
Calmer Corn Heads is a manufacturer of custom-built corn heads and patented corn head performance parts. The core product portfolio consists of custom-built Calmer Corn Heads available in multiple row spacings (12", 15", 20", 22", 30") and the patented BT Chopper Stalk Rolls system, which includes chopping stalk rolls, multi-zone beveled stripper plates, grass knives, gathering chain sprockets, and chrome-pin gathering chains. The BT Chopper system is available both as upgrade kits for existing factory corn heads and as factory-installed components on custom-built heads. Products are designed to work with John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Geringhoff, AGCO/Gleaner, and Drago equipment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BT Chopper: Patented chopping stalk roll system that turns cornstalks into confetti-like residue for faster decomposition and improved agronomic benefits.
- Calmer Concaves
Products and services
- Calmer Custom-Built Corn Heads Custom-built, row-independent corn heads manufactured in Illinois, available in 12", 15", 20", 22", and 30" row spacing. Built to order in any row spacing, any number of rows, and any color to match the customer's combine. Designed for corn farmers seeking narrow-row or custom configurations not available from major OEMs.
- BT Chopper Stalk Rolls
Quantifiable outcome
- 9.7 bu/Acre yield advantage in corn-on-corn rotations
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Calmer Corn Heads
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Calmer Corn Heads technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Calmer Corn Heads partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Calmer Corn Heads competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Case IH: Case IH produces combines and corn heads (2000/3000/4000 series) for which Calmer sells BT Chopper upgrade kits. As a broad incumbent, Case IH competes indirectly by offering factory chopping options but also serves as a key compatibility platform for Calmer's retrofit business.
- John Deere: John Deere manufactures combines with factory corn heads and is Calmer's largest OEM partner and primary competitive threat. John Deere's broader portfolio dwarfs Calmer, but Calmer competes in the aftermarket upgrade niche within John Deere's installed base.
- AGCO (Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Gleaner): AGCO manufactures combines and corn heads across multiple brands (Gleaner, Massey Ferguson, Fendt) for which Calmer produces upgrade kits. AGCO's broad portfolio includes factory chopping corn heads, creating both partnership and competitive overlap.
- New Holland Agriculture: New Holland manufactures combines and corn heads (96C/98C/98D/980CR/996 series) compatible with Calmer's BT Chopper kits. As a broad incumbent, New Holland competes in the same combine/corn head space while also serving as a major platform for Calmer's aftermarket upgrades.
Direct peers
- Cressoni: Cressoni produces corn heads and harvesting headers with chopping options, directly competing with Calmer's corn head offerings in the European and international markets.
- Capello: Italian-based Capello manufactures corn headers and chopping attachments for combines, competing in the same niche as Calmer with a focus on residue management and stalk processing—directly comparable product functionality.
- Drago: Drago manufactures corn heads and chopping corn head attachments as a direct competitor to Calmer. Their GT series corn heads and aftermarket chopping components overlap significantly with Calmer's BT Chopper upgrade kits.
- Olimac: Olimac is a European corn head manufacturer offering multi-row headers and stalk chopping technology that overlaps with Calmer's product line. Both serve professional corn growers seeking residue management and yield optimization.
- Geringhoff: Geringhoff is a major corn head manufacturer whose NorthStar and other series compete head-to-head with Calmer's custom-built corn heads. Both companies offer multi-row configurations and chopping capability targeting the same high-acreage North American corn growers.
- Fantini: Fantini manufactures corn headers with chopping capabilities for the global harvesting market, comparable to Calmer's custom corn heads and BT Chopper technology. Both target professional farmers focused on residue management.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Calmer Corn Heads social profiles
Digital presenceCalmer Corn Heads financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Calmer Corn Heads leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Calmer Corn Heads funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Calmer Corn Heads M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Calmer Corn Heads
What does Calmer Corn Heads do?
Calmer Corn Heads manufactures custom-built row-independent corn heads and patented corn head performance parts, primarily the BT Chopper stalk roll system. Products are built-to-order in any row spacing, number of rows, or color to match the customer's combine, and are compatible with John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Geringhoff, AGCO/Gleaner, Massey Ferguson, and Drago equipment. Upgrade kits allow existing factory corn heads to be retrofitted with Calmer's chopping stalk rolls, beveled stripper plates, and gathering components.
Is Calmer Corn Heads a public or private company?
Calmer Corn Heads is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Calmer Corn Heads founded?
Calmer Corn Heads was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Calmer Corn Heads based?
Calmer Corn Heads is headquartered in Lynn Center, United States, in the North America region.
How does Calmer Corn Heads make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Upgrade Kits are the primary driver. The others are custom Corn Head Sales and performance Parts.
Who are Calmer Corn Heads's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Case IH, John Deere, AGCO (Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Gleaner) and New Holland Agriculture. Direct peers are Cressoni, Capello, Drago, Olimac, Geringhoff and Fantini.
Does Calmer Corn Heads have an API?
No public API is recorded for Calmer Corn Heads.
What industry is Calmer Corn Heads in?
Calmer Corn Heads's product category is Agricultural Harvesting Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAAAEAJ, Wear Parts & Maintenance Kits (Knives, Belts, Chains, Bearings, Liners), with a secondary code of AFAGAAAB, Corn (Maize) Farming. Its NAICS code is 333111 and its SIC code is 3523.