Strengthening Manufacturing Legacy in Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa has been the heartbeat of John Deere's story for over a century. It’s the birthplace of our tractor manufacturing. From row crop to heavy duty tractors, they all come together in Waterloo. This includes our renowned 7, 8, and 9 Series tractors, which are integral to our product lineup and are manufactured with precision and care.
It's also home to our one-of-a-kind foundry, where we craft unique castings for each machine. When you add in our downstream drive train operations and final assembly facilities, our manufacturing capabilities are truly world-class.
But what truly excites us is the road ahead, focused on our customers, employees, and neighbors. “Waterloo is not just a place where we build tractors; it's a community we are deeply connected to and invested in,” explains Fabio Castro, factory manager in Waterloo.
Some of our latest Waterloo investments include:
A brand-new assembly line for our High Horsepower 9RX tractor
This state-of-the-art assembly line enhances our production capabilities and ensures that we continue to meet the growing demand for customers. ’We’re proud to call Waterloo Works home for this tractor,’ said Castro. ’It’s thrilling to see these tractors rolling off the line and into fields, ready to make a difference for farmers this spring.’
Autonomous tractor technology
We are at the forefront of agricultural innovation, developing autonomous tractors that will revolutionize farming and increase efficiency for our customers. ’We’re in the exciting phase of limited production,’ said Emily Priebe, product manager for row crop and large tractors. ’While they’re not quite commercially available yet these autonomous tractors are being piloted and showing great promise.’
Continuous learning opportunities for our incredible employees
Investing in facilities and products requires an investment in employees. ’We believe in our employees and invest in their continuous learning so they can generate groundbreaking ideas,’ explained Jackie Steffens, human resources operations manager. ’Our goal is to create an environment where they can thrive both personally and professionally.’
Empowering employees to volunteer over 51K hours and donating over $2M back to our local community
Our commitment to Waterloo extends beyond manufacturing. We encourage our employees to give back to the community. Last year, the company and employees donated nearly $2 million and over 51 thousand hours in labor and materials to nonprofit organizations. “We’re committed to focusing and strengthening those communities we call home,” explained Mindy Schmidt, community relations manager.