East Moline, IL facility achieves nearly 100 years of manufacturing excellence while helping farmers feed the world.

John Deere Harvester Works recently rolled the half millionth self-propelled combine , a 9870 model, off the assembly line at the East Moline, Ill. manufacturing facility.
 

"Reaching 500,000 self-propelled combines is a significant milestone for us and our dedicated employees.” said Dennis Muszalski, factory manager, John Deere Harvester Works. "We are proud of the legacy we’ve built and the singular goal we’ve had since our inception: To provide our customers with products that deliver the quality and value they’ve come to expect from John Deere while also partnering with farmers to help feed the world.”

The factory first began producing binders in 1910 and broke ground on John Deere Harvester Works in 1912. The factory initially manufactured horse-drawn grain binders, mowers, rakes and corn binders. In 1927 John Deere introduced its first combine, uniting harvesting and threshing in one operation. Twenty years later, John Deere manufactured the company’s first self-propelled combine.

“In the first 20 years, the harvesting capacity of John Deere self-propelled combines doubled and then again between 1980 and 2000,” said Katie Dierker, Division Marketing Manager, John Deere Harvester Works. “Within the past 10 years, we’ve seen productivity nearly double again. This means farmers can get more done in less time – and more adeptly meet the world’s growing food demands.”

John Deere Harvester Works marked the milestone with a special Gold Key tour for customer Greg Briggs, of Cisco, Ill. The John Deere Gold Key Tour program provides customers an exclusive, V.I.P. tour of the factory and the opportunity to be the first to start their own machine on the line.  Mr. Briggs will take ownership of the combine this fall after it is displayed for the summer at the John Deere Pavilion, Moline, Ill.

John Deere Harvester Works exports to over 35 countries and currently manufactures four models in its 70 series line up as well as a complete line of front end equipment. Approximately 2400 employees are employed at the factory which includes the John Deere Product Development Center in Silvis, Ill.   

John Deere (Deere & Company — NYSE: DE) is a world leader in providing advanced products and services for agriculture, forestry, construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. John Deere also provides financial services worldwide and manufactures and markets engines used in heavy equipment. Since it was founded in 1837, the company has extended its heritage of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation around the globe.