Deere & Company — the manufacturer of heavy machinery for agricultural operations — initiated a multi-year modernization program for its Waterloo, IA, operations in 2010, including an expansion project for the gray and ductile iron John Deere Foundry there. Deere said then that its efforts were focused on "meeting customer requirements and improving business performance," and would allow the company to manufacture more advanced casting designs with more advanced manufacturing technologies.
"The enhancement of our foundry operations follows recent investments in the Waterloo Works to improve manufacturing capacity and flexibility," stated David Everett, president of Deere & Company's Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division. "This integrated approach at John Deere in the design and manufacturing of large row crop and four-wheel-drive tractors is a competitive advantage."
"This investment allows us to better serve our customers with high quality, innovative castings," said Richard Czarnecki, global director - Large Tractor product line. "This investment helps John Deere meet customer requirements for more sophisticated designs of large tractors and helps to ensure the company maintains manufacturing flexibility and responsiveness to market demands."
The expansion was completed earlier this year, and the foundry allowed visitors some views of its new capabilities.