Founded in Grand Detour, IL, in 1837, John Deere has become an American icon. The company is best known for its self-scouring steel plow, tractors, and powerful tagline, “Nothing Runs Like a Deere.” John Deere’s recognizable color scheme even inspired a hit country song in the early 1990s.
When most people hear “John Deere,” they immediately think of tractors, lawnmowers, and farm equipment. While the brand remains a premier agricultural manufacturer, it’s also a pioneer of new technologies.
Plowing Its Way into American Manufacturing
John Deere, founder and namesake of the brand, was a blacksmith who lived in Grand Detour, Illinois. His claim to fame was a highly polished steel plow that revolutionized farming. The plow could cut through sticky soil without clogging, which promoted farming efficiency and reduced labor.
By the early 20th century, the company was well-established and had made its way into tractor manufacturing. It released theJohn Deere Model D tractor in 1923, kicking off a century of agricultural manufacturing dominance. The Model D had a two-cylinder kerosene-burning powertrain, which produced 15–22 horsepower.
Deere & Company: A Dominant Force in Agricultural Manufacturing
Today, the brand is legally known as “Deere & Company,” although it continues to do business as John Deere. As of 2023, the company was worth$110.31 billion, ranking as one of the top agricultural equipment manufacturers in the world.
The brand manufactures:
Whiletractorsand other farm equipment remain key parts of John Deere’s portfolio, the company has branched into several unexpected manufacturing verticals, including satellites, autonomous vehicles, and alternative fuels.
Here are some of John Deere’s more exciting recent endeavors.
EVs, Ammonia-Powered Tractors, and More
Climate change is an issue on everyone’s mind, including the leadership team at John Deere. The agricultural equipment manufacturer has been making some bold moves in pursuit of fossil fuel alternatives.
In 2022, John Deere announced a prototype tractor with anammonia-to-energy system. While the tractor hasn’t yet been deployed at scale, the brand is pouring millions into the project. If successful, it will be able to power a medium-sized Deere tractor for hours using ammonia as a zero-emission, high-density fuel source.
The company has also acquired numerouselectrical vehicle and battery technology brands. These moves demonstrate its commitment to exploring the battery-powered farm equipment niche.
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Nothing Self-Drives Like a Deere
If John Deere continues its fierce pursuit of innovation, it might have to change its slogan to “Nothing Drives Itself Like a Deere.” In 2022, organizational leaders announced they were ready to produce commercially available,fully autonomous tractors.
Self-driving cars have numerous legal hurdles to overcome before they fill our streets. Autonomous tractors, however, don’t have nearly as many hurdles to adoption, which is why John Deere and several other tractor manufacturers have already begun production.
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From the Cornfield to the Cosmos
There are no farms in space, but John Deere satellites might soon be orbiting the Earth.
Early last year, Deere & Company issued requests for proposals to several aerospace companies. While the full details of the project are being kept under wraps, it appears that the company wants to offer better connectivity for its farm equipment by deploying asatellite-based communications network.
Satellite communication systemsare becoming a staple of our society thanks to their ability to power the ever-growing ecosystem of connected edge devices.
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What’s Next for John Deere?
When the company’s namesake invented the steel plow nearly 200 years ago, he changed the farming industry forever. As John Deere approaches its second centennial, it appears that the company’s leaders have their sights set on propelling the agricultural sector into its next stage of evolution.
