Deere & Co. plans to close manufacturing operations at two plants and shift production from two other facilities as the company consolidates capacity around regional customer demand, according to a press release.
The changes in Deere's manufacturing footprint, per the Nov. 4 release, include:
- Closing its Ottumwa, Iowa, factory by Oct. 29, 2028, and moving its operations to the company's Ankeny, Iowa, facility. The Ottumwa factory makes Deere's round balers and windrower crop cutters.
- Halting production at its Clarion, Iowa, plant by Oct. 30, 2028, and moving manufacturing to Deere's factory in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The Clarion factory makes Deere's Hagie single-tank system sprayers.
- Shifting sugar cane harvester production from Thibodaux, Louisiana, to Catalão, Brazil, in FY2029, which runs from Oct. 30, 2028, to Oct. 28, 2029. The move aligns production closer to the largest concentration of customer demand in South America, the release says. The Thibodaux plant produces about 35 machines annually for the U.S. market.
- Relocating small planter production from Moline, Illinois, to Deere's facility in Paton, Iowa, in FY2027, which runs from Nov. 2, 2026, to Oct. 31, 2027.
Also, Deere's Construction and Forestry Division is evaluating sourcing opportunities across its operations to improve competitiveness and manage costs, per the release.
"This evaluation reflects broader industry efforts to respond to shifting market conditions, evolving customer demand, and global cost pressures," the release says.
The latest production changes come nine months after Deere unveiled plans to open a $125 million distribution center near Hebron, Indiana, and a manufacturing campus in Kernersville, North Carolina, in the next year. The projects are part of a commitment to invest $20 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the next 10 years, according to the company.
