John Deere Harvester Works in running for DOD award

John Deere Harvester Works, East Moline, is a semifinalist for the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

This is the DoD’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of their employees serving in the National Guard and Reserves.

A national review board will narrow the group of 148 semifinalists to 30 finalists for the Freedom Award. Finalists should be announced in May and recipients in early summer.

The winners will be honored in Washington, D.C., on September 22.

Good luck to John Deere Harvester Works!

John Deere Classic launches fundraising drive

The John Deere Classic officially kicked off its annual Birdies for Charity fundraising drive on Wednesday afternoon in Moline. The tournament helped to raise $4.3 million in 2010.

Organizers say that the program is a powerful and cost-effective way to help finance non-profit organizations. Thanks to John Deere’s ongoing sponsorship, all of the money and a bonus goes back to each participating organization.

This year’s Classic will run July 4-10 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis.

Deere paint and tractor tour fascinate guests

Have you ever thought about how much paint it takes to cover a John Deere tractor in that famous green and yellow? Turns out, it takes five gallons applied by a half-dozen employees and robotics inside the Deere plant in Waterloo, Iowa.

A group from the Stephenson County Farm Bureau in Illinois got an up close and personal look recently on their field trip to the plant.

According to the Freeport Journal-Standard, one of the highlights was seeing a cab being lowered onto a chassis.

The visitors enjoyed the chance to see this modern plant with the latest equipment. They also got to check out some historic models, and most importantly, ate lunch!

Deere Foundation provides $1 million for Japan relief

Help is on the way after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The John Deere Foundation is granting $1 million to the Red Cross organization. It will support relief efforts.

And that’s not all. The John Deere Foundation will match Deere employee contributions to the Japan relief effort up to an additional $500,000.

Deere’s Chairman and CEO Samuel Allen says the company is “deeply saddened when a disaster of this magnitude causes so much destruction and loss of life.”

The John Deere Foundation is Deere & Company’s main philanthropic organization. It’s great to see them step up like this during such a tragic time.

From Russia With Deere

Dateline: Moscow….well, near Moscow, actually Domodedovo, where Deere & Company announced plans this week to double the manufacturing space at its plant there and establish its own leasing company in Russia for the sale of agriculture, construction and forestry machinery.

Deere’s top boss Sam Allen made the announcement while participating at a Russian investment conference with other U.S. CEO’s and Vice President Joe Biden.

Deere will be able to expand the products it makes there and add new products, like log forwarders, which are popular with Russian foresters.

Deere engineers help to inspire Davenport students

There’s an interesting phenomenon when it comes to engineering jobs. Only 18% of the USA engineering jobs are held by women.

It’s one reason why Deere & Company hosted a special, “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.”

Inside Davenport’s Putnam Museum on Thursday, some 50 Davenport eighth grade girls were busy working with Deere engineers.

“I didn’t really know much about being an engineer,” said Alexis King, 14, a student at Sudlow Intermediate School. “I wanted to come see how it was and explore my options.”

Deere is hoping to inspire the next generation of engineers. And with plans to double the Moline-based manufacturer by 2018, it will create plenty of opportunities.

“Only 8% of girls are really interested in persuing engineering careers,” said Anne Ryerson, a Deere product safety engineer. “We really want to expand that.”

Eighth graders are finding out that it’s never too early to learn about careers.

“I think it would be cool to have someone from the Quad Cities that became a really famous engineer,” said Lexi Brandhaggen, 14.

Dreams from Deere that just might help to build the future.

Deere & Company sets bar for success and expansion

There’s a sense of optimism as Deere shareholders emerge from their annual meeting on Wednesday. The Moline-based ag-giant performed solidly in a sluggish global economy last year. It’s now poised to balance expansion globally and close to home.

Retired Deere executive Mike Stohlmeyer, who spent 41 years with the company thinks that will be good news for growing jobs locally and across the country.

“Even though there will be more growth overseas, there will continue to be growth here in the United States and in North America,” he said.

Rising demand for farm equipment is a big factor. Across North America, large tractor and combine sales climbed by about 40% over the last three years. That’s a key source of sales and profits.

“It’s a great impact,” said Jim Bohnsack, chairman of the Rock Island County Board of Supervisors, who also spent 35 years at Deere. “If we didn’t have Deere & Company, we would be in very, very bad shape. This is a great company.”

That optimism is fueling the future. Deere is stepping up its strategic plan. As Allen puts it, moving in the same general direction, but at a faster speed and higher altitude.

That wave of opportunity coming with a population growth and available money. It’s leading to major global investments to provide farm and construction equipment.

“We think that the company can double by 2018,” said Deere Spokesman Ken Golden. “There’s a lot of work to be done. This year has started well. Last year was a strong year.”

And Deere’s core values, from innovation to quality, show how its success continued during challenging times around the world.

“Maybe some politicians could come to John Deere and learn a lesson,” said 42-year Deere retiree Jerry Miller.

With the company approaching its 175th anniversary in 2012, plenty of optimism from a legacy that continues to grow.

Deere posts record first-quarter earnings of $514 million

Deere & Company credits improving demand for equipment and skillful execution of its business plans for posting record first quarter earnings of $514 million.

“Our actions are helping attract customers through advanced new products and technologies,” said Samuel Allen, chairman and chief executive officer.

Big ticket items, like large farm machinery sales, especially in the United States and Canada are continuing to make a major impact.

Construction equipment shipments are experiencing some degree of recovery.

“Our record first-quarter performance is especially gratifying in light of market conditions that remain below normal levels in certain key sectors,” Allen said.

Deere partners with India for farming project

It’s no secret that Deere & Company is very much involved with the global economy. Along those lines, the company announced it will work with local government in the state of Gujarat, India, on a public-private partnership.

The five-year project could benefit nearly 50,000 farm families. They will learn skills to help mechanize their farms and could increase crop yields.

Deere will open small agricultural implement resource centers there. It will also offer more than 500 tractors for use by local farmers. Each center will have a trained operator and maintenance staff.

Farmer groups will pay only for operating and maintenance costs and not for the actual tractor or implements.

Deere plans new factory in India

Everybody knows that Deere & Company is a multinational corporation that’s deeply involved in the global economy. It’s with those worldly reaches that the Moline-based ag giant announces plans to build a new factory in India. The company will also expand its current tractor factory in Pune. All of it amounts to about a $100 million investment.

The new factory will build small agricultural tractors that are sold in India and for export to other countries. No word yet on exactly where it will be built.

Deere’s top boss, Samuel Allen, said that for Deere to maintain and expand its leadership role, it must be active in many economies around the world.