The story
Founded by John Deere in 1868, in Grand Detour.1
19th century
In 1836 Deere & Company began when John Deere, born in Rutland, Vermont, United States, on February 7, 1804, moved to Grand Detour, Illinois to escape bankruptcy in Vermont. Already an established blacksmith, Deere opened a 1,378-square-foot (128 m2) shop in Grand Detour in 1837, which allowed him to serve as a general repairman in the village, and a manufacturer of tools such as pitchforks and shovels. An item that set him apart was the self-scouring steel plow, which was pioneered in 1837 when John Deere fashioned a Scottish steel saw blade into a plow.
Prior to Deere's steel plow, most farmers used iron or wooden plows to which the rich Midwestern soil stuck, so they had to be cleaned frequently. Deere created a highly polished steel surface that allowed the soil to slide easily. This tool addressed the difficulty of tilling the Prairie State's soil and greatly aided migration into the American Great Plains in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
In early 1843, Deere entered a business partnership with Leonard Andrus and purchased land for the construction of a new, two-story factory along the Rock River in Illinois. It used water power to operate machineries. This factory, named the "L. Andrus Plough Manufacturer", produced about 100 plows in 1842, and around 400 plows during the next year. Deere's partnership with Andrus ended in 1848, and Deere relocated to Moline, Illinois, to have access to the railroad and the Mississippi River. There, Deere formed a partnership with Robert Tate and built a 1,440-square-foot (134 m2) factory the same year. John Gould was later brought in to manage the accounts. Production rose quickly, and by 1849, the Deere, Tate & Gould Company was producing over 200 plows a month. A two-story addition to the plant was built, allowing further production.
Deere bought out Tate and Gould's interests in the company in 1853, and was joined in the business by his son Charles Deere. At that time, the company was manufacturing a variety of farm equipment products in addition to plows, including wagons, corn planters, and cultivators. In 1857, the company's production totals reached almost 1,120 implements per month. In 1858, a nationwide financial recession took a toll on the company. During this period, the company announced its work on a steam engine that will pull its plow but the product did not materialize. To prevent bankruptcy, the company was reorganized and Deere turned over his interests in the business to his son-in-law, Christopher Webber, and his son, Charles Deere, who would take on most of his father's managerial roles. John Deere served as president of the company until his retirement in April 1886, but died one month later in May 1886 in Moline, Illinois. The company was reorganized again in 1868 when it was incorporated as Deere & Company. While the company's original stockholders were Charles Deere, Stephen Velie, George Vinton, and John Deere, Charles effectively ran the company. In 1869, Charles began to introduce marketing centers and independent retail dealers to advance the company's sales nationwide. This same year, Deere & Company won "Best and Greatest Display of Plows in Variety" at the 17th Annual Illinois State Fair, for which it won $10 and a silver medal.
The core focus remained on the agricultural implements, but John Deere also made a few bicycles in the 1890s.
20th century
Increased competition during the early 1900s from the new International Harvester Company led the company to expand its offerings in the implement business, but the production of gasoline tractors came to define Deere & Company's operations during the 20th century.
In 1912, Deere & Company president William Butterworth (Charles' son-in-law), who had replaced Charles Deere after his death in 1907, began the company's expansion into the tractor business. Deere & Company briefly experimented with its own tractor models, the most successful of which was the Dain All-Wheel-Drive, but in the end decided to continue its foray into the tractor business by purchasing the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1918, which manufactured the popular Waterloo Boy tractor at its facilities in Waterloo, Iowa. Deere & Company continued to sell tractors under the Waterloo Boy name until 1923, when the John Deere Model D was introduced. The company continues to manufacture a large percentage of its tractors in Waterloo, Iowa, namely the 7R, 8R, and 9R series.
The company produced its first combine harvester, the John Deere No. 2, in 1927. This featured improvements and modifications to Model D such as higher power level due to increased cylinder bore. A year later, this innovation was followed up by the introduction of John Deere No. 1, a smaller machine that was more popular with customers. By 1929, the No. 1 and No. 2 were replaced by newer, lighter-weight harvesters. In the 1930s, John Deere and other farm equipment manufacturers began developing hillside harvesting technology. Harvesters now had the ability to effectively use their combines to harvest grain on hillsides with up to a 50% slope gradient.
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On an episode of the Travel Channel series Made in America that profiled Deere & Company, host John Ratzenberger stated that the company never repossessed any equipment from American farmers during the Great Depression.
During World War II, the great-grandson of John Deere, Charles Deere Wiman, was president of the company, but he accepted a commission as a colonel in the U.S. Army. Burton F. Peek was hired as president during this period. Before Wiman returned to work at the company in late 1944, he directed the farm machinery and equipment division of the War Production Board. In addition to farm machinery, John Deere manufactured military tractors, and transmissions for the M3 tank. They also made aircraft parts, ammunition, and mobile laundry units to support the war effort.
In 1947, John Deere introduced its first self-propelled combine, model 55. It was soon followed by the smaller models 40 and 45, the larger model 95, and an even larger model 105 was introduced in the 1960s. In the mid-1950s, Deere introduced an attachable corn head, allowing corn producers to use their combine to pick, shell, and clean corn in one smooth operation.
In 1956, Deere & Company bought-out the German tractor manufacturer, Heinrich Lanz AG (see Lanz Bulldog).
In the last months of 1958, John Deere constructed a factory in northern Rosario, Argentina. In Argentina, the make was managed by Agar Cross & Co.
John Deere made the following models of tractors in Argentina: 445, 730; the models of the series 20 like 1420, 2420, 3420, 4420; the models of the serie 30 like 2330, 2530, 2730, 3330, 3530, 4530; the models of the serie 40 like 2140, 3140 / 3140 DT, 3440, 3540 and the last made in Baigorria of the serie 50 like 2850, 3350, 3550 until 1994.
Seventeen years later, (in 2011) the Argentinian plant returns the assembly of tractors with the following models: 5036C, 5045D (45 HP) Serie 5D, 5045E (45 HP) Serie 5E, 5065E (65 HP) Serie 5E, 5075E (75 HP) Serie 5E, 5425N (77 HP) Serie 5000, 5725 (92 HP) Serie 5025, 5725HC (92 HP) Serie 5025, 5090E, 5090EH, 5076EF, 6110J, 6130J, 6145J and 6165J.
Plus, in 2012, added in SKD/CKD format, the assembly of combine harvesters 9570 STS Serie 70, 9470 STS, 9670 STS and 9770 STS.
Also, with the green line, the Argentinian facility made some backhoe loaders and motor graders like 570 A/B, 544 A/B, 507, 308, 200 and the 627, 727 model tractors.
In 1960, John Deere first began selling the "10" series of tractors. John Deere announced them in an extravagant fashion, hosting a large event at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium and the Texas State Fairgrounds. Attendance was reported at 6000 guests. The 10 series used new four and six cylinder engines and were designed to be more ergonomic, and easier to service.
The 4010 was rated at 80 horsepower in 1960, but tested at 84 horsepower during testing trials, making it one of the most powerful two-wheel-drive farm tractors at that time. The 4010 was the predecessor to the 4020, which is widely regarded as the most popular tractor ever produced by John Deere, and perhaps any tractor manufacturer in the United States. Although the 4020, which was available with Deere's optional Power Shift, enjoyed greater popularity, the 4010 moved John Deere into the modern era of farm tractor technology and design following its successful history as a tractor manufacturer that was by the late 1950s experiencing waning market share due to its outdated technology.
In addition to the advanced engine technology, the "10" series tractors offered many other upgrades from the older two-cylinder models they replaced, including significantly higher horsepower-to-weight ratio, advanced hydraulics, more convenient and comfortable operator stations, and many other improvements. Of the "10" series John Deere tractors introduced in 1960, the 4010 was by far the most popular, with more than 58,000 units sold from 1960 to 1963. The success of the "10" series John Deere tractors, led by the 4010, helped propel John Deere from a 23% market share in 1959 to 34% by 1964 when the 4020 was introduced, making it the top manufacturer of farm equipment in the United States.
In 1972, Deere introduced its new Generation II 'Sound Idea Tractors', the 4030, 4230, 4430, and 4630. While these tractors were mechanically similar to the New Generation tractors they replaced, and the 4230, 4430, and 4630 used a 404-cubic-inch displacement engine like the 4020, they featured redesigned sheet metal and most importantly they were available with an optional completely integrated operator's cab that John Deere called the Sound Gard body. This insulated cab that included a roll-over protective structure had a distinctive rounded windshield and came equipped with heat and air conditioning, as well as speakers for an optional radio. An 8-track tape player was also available as an option. The 5020 was replaced by the very similar 6030 and continued in production with New Generation styling until 1977 when the 30 Series tractors were replaced by Deere's 'Iron Horses' series that included the 90-hp 4040, 110-hp 4240, 130-hp 4440, 150-HP 4640, and 180-hp 4840. The 4240, 4440, 4640, and 4840 featured a new 466-cubic-inch displacement engine, and improvements to the cab including an optional hydraulic seat for a smoother ride. The Sound Gard body and 8-speed Power Shift transmission were standard equipment on the 4840.
In 1983, Deere introduced the 4050, 4250, 4450, 4650, and 4850. These tractors were essentially the same machines as the Iron Horses they replaced, but with significant upgrades. They offered a new 15-speed PowerShift transmission and were available with an optional mechanical front-wheel drive featuring caster action for better traction and a tighter turning radius. They also featured cosmetic upgrades, including a new light brown cab interior, instead of the black interior on previous models. These tractors were followed in the late 80s by the mechanically similar 55 and 60 series tractors before they were replaced by Deere's completely redesigned 7000 and 8000 series tractors in the early 1990s.
In the 1962 Illinois Manufacturers Directory (50th-anniversary edition), John Deere, listed as Deere and Company, claimed a total workforce of 35,000, of which 9,000 were in Illinois. The corporate headquarters were located at 1325 Third Ave. in Moline, Illinois, with six manufacturing plants located around that city and a seventh plant in Hoopeston, Illinois. The six plants in Moline were listed as:
John Deere Harvester Works at 1100 13th Ave., East Moline, where 3,000 employees made agricultural implements
John Deere Industrial Equipment Works at 301 Third Ave., Moline, where 500 employees made earth-moving equipment
John Deere Malleable Works at 1335-13th Street, East Moline, where 600 employees made malleable and nodular iron castings
John Deere Planter Works at 501 Third Ave., Moline, where 1,000 employees made agricultural implements
John Deere Plow Works at 1225 Third Ave., Moline, where 1,100 employees made agricultural implements
John Deere Spreader Works at 1209-13th Ave., Moline where 800 employees made agricultural implements
The John Deere Vermilion Works was located at North Sixth Ave., Hoopeston, Illinois, where 140 employees were listed as making iron work and implement parts. Moline, with 42,705 residents in 1962, had the local 7,000 employees of John Deere represent 16% of the city's entire population.
In 1969, John Deere followed its New Generation tractors of the 1960s with a New Generation of combines. These included the 3300, 4400, 6600, and 7700. These models were also the first to come with Quik-Tatch header mounting capabilities as standard equipment. In the 1980s, these combines were followed by the 4420, 6620, 7720, and 8820 that were essentially updated and improved versions of the previous models with larger capacity, a better cab, and easier maintenance and service. The 4420 was discontinued in 1984 and replaced by the 4425 combines imported from Germany, and the 6620, 7720, and 8820 received the Titan II updates.
In 1989, Deere replaced the 6620, 7720, and 8820 with a new line of completely redesigned 'Maximizer' combines that included the 9400, 9500, and 9600 walker combines. These combines featured a center-mounted cab, rear-mounted engine, and more comforts in the cab. Also in 1989, Deere was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. In 1997, Deere celebrated 50 years of self-propelled combine production, and the 1997 models featured a 50th-anniversary decal. In 1998, the 9410, 9510, and 9610 were introduced. These were essentially the same machines, but with minor upgrades. Deere dealers offered '10 series' upgrades to owners of older 9000 series Maximizer combines. In 1999, Deere introduced the 50 series Maximizer combines. These machines featured significant cosmetic upgrades including a more streamlined appearance, improved ergonomics in the cab, PTO shaft-style header hook-up, and the larger models were available as rotary machines which were a complete departure from the combines that Deere had built in the past.
In the late 1970s, International Harvester had pioneered rotary combines with their Axial flow machines and were soon followed by other manufacturers, but Deere continued to build only conventional walker combines through the 1980s and 1990s. In 1999, John Deere introduced the Single-Tine Separation (STS) system on its 9550, 9650, and 9750 combines, representing a step forward in rotary combine technology. The STS system uses less horsepower and improves material handling.
21st century
In 2014, the Smithsonian Museum named John Deere's original plough design as one of the objects that changed American history.
As of 2018, Deere & Company employed about 67,000 people worldwide, of which half are in the United States and Canada, and is the largest agriculture machinery company in the world. In August 2014, the company announced it was indefinitely laying off 600 of its workers at plants in Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas due to less demand for its products. Inside the United States, the company's primary locations are its World Headquarters in Moline, Illinois, and manufacturing factories in central and southeastern United States. As of 2016, the company experiments with an electric farm tractor.
The logo of the leaping deer has been used by this company for over 155 years. Over the years, the logo has had minor changes and pieces removed. The "John Deere Moline, Ill." trademark (USPTO Serial No. 71055630), covering plows and a range of farm implements, was filed on April 8, 1911, and registered on September 10, 1912. Some of the older style logos have the deer leaping over a log. The company uses different logo colors for agricultural vs. construction products. The company's agricultural products are identifiable by a distinctive shade of green paint, with the inside border being yellow. By contrast, the construction products are identifiable by a shade of black with the deer being yellow, and the inside border also being yellow.
In September 2017, Deere & Company signed a definitive agreement to acquire Blue River Technology, which is based in Sunnyvale, California, and is applying machine learning to agriculture. Blue River has designed and integrated computer vision and machine learning technology that will enable growers to reduce the use of herbicides by spraying only where weeds are present.
In 2018, Deere and 90 Fortune 500 companies "paid an effective federal tax rate of 0% or less" as a result of Donald Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
In August 2019, it was announced that Samuel R. Allen would step down as CEO and president of John Deere. John May, president of the Worldwide Agriculture and Turf and Integrated Solutions divisions replaced him in November 2019.
In October 2021, about 10,000 employees, unionized with the United Auto Workers, went on strike following an impasse in contract negotiations.
In January 2022, the company introduced a self-driving tractor at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, designed for large-scale farming as opposed to existing comparable tractors designed for small-scale agriculture. It was part of a larger effort to develop so-called smart machines to make farming faster and more efficient than it would be relying on human labor, including through software, which would mean higher margins. The company said it wanted to "connect 1.5 million machines in service and a half billion acres in use to its cloud-based John Deere Operations Center."
In June 2022, Deere announced it would cease production of its model 3710 moldboard plow but would continue to offer its model 995 reversible plow.
In July 2024, Deere announced it would lay off 600 employees in its Midwest facilities and is considering moving the production of some components to Mexico. Donald Trump said he would impose 200% tariffs on Mexican-made equipment. The company announced more layoffs in August 2025, citing economic factors and decreased demand.
From Wikipedia’s article on John Deere, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.9