John Deere, also known as Deere & Company, is an American corporation with a long history of manufacturing agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, and lawn care equipment. Here's a summarized history of John Deere:
19th Century:
- John Deere, the company's founder, moved to Grand Detour, Illinois, in 1836, where he opened a blacksmith shop.
- Deere created the self-scouring steel plow in 1837, revolutionizing farming by allowing soil to slide easily.
- He realized the need for increased production and began manufacturing plows before selling them, pioneering a new business model.
- Deere formed partnerships and relocated to Moline, Illinois, in 1848.
- The company was reorganized and incorporated as Deere & Company in 1868.
20th Century:
- Deere entered the tractor business by purchasing the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1918.
- The company introduced its first combine harvester, the John Deere No. 2, in 1927.
- During World War II, John Deere contributed to the war effort by manufacturing military tractors and transmissions for tanks.
- In 1956, John Deere bought the German tractor manufacturer Heinrich Lanz AG.
- The company introduced its New Generation of Power tractors in 1960, marking a significant shift in tractor technology.
- Deere continued to innovate, introducing the Soundguard tractors in 1973.
- In 1989, Deere launched the Maximizer combine series.
- In 1999, Deere introduced the Single-Tine Separation (STS) system for combines, improving material handling.
21st Century:
- As of 2018, John Deere is the largest agriculture machinery company globally, employing about 67,000 people worldwide.
- In 2017, the company acquired Blue River Technology, which applies machine learning to agriculture.
- In 2019, Samuel R. Allen stepped down as CEO, and John May became the new CEO.
- In 2021, around 10,000 Deere employees went on strike due to contract negotiations.
- In 2022, John Deere unveiled a self-driving tractor for large-scale farming at the Consumer Electronics Show.
- In January 2023, John Deere agreed to allow its U.S. customers to perform their equipment repairs.
- The company has faced criticism for its policies on equipment servicing and software access, but efforts are underway to address these concerns.
John Deere's product range includes tractors, combine harvesters, cotton harvesters, balers, planters/seeders, silage machines, and sprayers, among many others.