|
|
|
|
|
August 4, 2006
John Deere Power Systems (JDPS) and its diesel engine factory, John Deere Engine Works, reached two notable milestones this spring. The Waterloo, Iowa, factory simultaneously celebrated its 30th anniversary and produced its one-millionth engine.
This significant achievement for the Waterloo factory is just a fraction of the overall total production of John Deere engines worldwide, which exceeds well over 5 million. To accommodate the rising global demand for the engines, John Deere now manufactures engines at five factories: Waterloo, Iowa; Saran, France; Torreon, Mexico; Rosario, Argentina; and Pune, India.
The one-millionth engine manufactured at the Engine Works in Waterloo was a Tier 2/Stage II PowerTech™ 8.1L engine, and it was installed in a John Deere 9996 cotton picker. Dave Rodger, plant manager of John Deere Des Moines Works, presented a gold key to Chester Short, who purchased the cotton picker with the landmark engine inside. Short will take the cotton picker back to Greenville, Miss., where he farms 5,200 acres of cotton and 1,000 acres of soybeans.
"We are proud to announce that Engine Works employees produced the one millionth engine. This milestone is the result of the efforts of all our employees—from product design through manufacturing to sales and customer support," says Jean Gilles, senior vice president - John Deere Power Systems. "This engine reflects the innovation, commitment, quality and integrity of our employees as did the first engine that came off the Engine Works assembly line 30 years ago."
John Deere engines are the heart of John Deere vehicles. An increasing number of OEMs are specifying John Deere engines for their equipment, and many John Deere engines now power OEM machines. John Deere got its start in the engine business marketing to OEMs in the mid-1970s and sold a few hundred engines primarily to ag-related customers.
