John Deere Celebrates 30 Years of Building Diesel Engines

July 17, 2006 — John Deere Power Systems (JDPS) and its diesel engine factory, John Deere Engine Works, reached two notable milestones this spring. The Waterloo, Iowa, factory celebrated its 30th anniversary and produced its one-millionth engine.

 

A Tier 2/Stage II PowerTech™ 8.1L engine, this unit was installed in a John Deere 9996 cotton picker. Dave Rodger, plant manager of John Deere Des Moines Works, presented a gold key to Chester Shot, who purchased the cotton picker with the landmark engine inside. Shot will take the cotton picker back to Greenville, Miss., where he farms 5,200 acres of cotton and 1,000 acres of soybeans.

 

“We are proud to announce that Engine Works employees produced the one millionth engine,” says Jean Gilles, senior vice president • John Deere Power Systems. “This milestone is the result of the efforts of all our employees • from product design through manufacturing to sales and customer support. This engine reflects the innovation, commitment, quality and integrity of our employees as did the first engine that came off the Engine Works assembly line 30 years ago.”