John Deere is a beloved American brand, but for residents of the Quad Cities, they are more than just a name—they are a part of the fabric of their community. In anticipation of the big 50th anniversary of Deere & Company’s Davenport, Iowa facility, more than 500 employees rolled up their sleeves to get the place shining for a weekend celebration. The Manufacturing Express rolled into town just in time to kick off the festivities.
The story of Deere & Company’s Davenport facility started in 1974 when the facility was built to replace their previous Industrial Equipment Division headquarters in Dubuque. Today, both Davenport and Dubuque facilities work together to build and export more than 50% of all of Deere & Company’s construction and forestry equipment, including class loaders, dump trucks, graders, and bunchers. Their operations are so massive that between the two facilities, they use more than 1 million pounds of steel per day to build equipment, more than any other location worldwide.
Their team has made a tremendous impact throughout its 50 years in the Quad Cities, the largest metropolitan area between St. Louis and Minneapolis. John Deere supports almost 11.5% of the Quad Cities community area employment, translating to over 32,000 jobs, and generates more than 18% of Quad Cities GDP. For many in the community, John Deere isn’t just an employer; it’s a lifeline.
Chat with folks like Tom Johnson and Donnie Morrison for a couple shining examples of what a career in equipment manufacturing means. Tom, with over 25 years of experience across various Midwestern facilities, worked his way up from part-time to Operations Manager at the Davenport plant. “The pride of building iconic construction equipment that’s used around the world motivates and inspires me every day.” Donnie, who joined Deere at 18, has spent his entire career “in the place where he grew up.” For both men, John Deere represents progress, resilience, and the future.
The Deere & Company team makes it a point to recognize how far they have come in their five decades in Davenport. In their celebratory state, they’ve decorated I-80 with original loaders and equipment dating back to the 1970s, a tribute not just to their legacy but the future they are building for Iowa’s equipment manufacturing industry.
