John Deere is among the world’s most iconic automobile brands. For over 180 years, Deere & Co. has contributed significantly to improving global well-being by manufacturing cutting-edge farming and construction tractors like John Deere 5310, John Deere 5045 and other equipment.
The Life Of John Deere: A Story Of Innovation
John Deere was born in 1804 in Rutland, Vermont, United States. He was a blacksmith who eventually founded Deere & Company in 1837.
Deere began his blacksmith career in 1821 at 17 and entered the trade in 1826. He married Demarius Lamb in 1827, and they had nine children together.
John Deere moved out of Vermont to Illinois in 1836 and innovated a self-scouring steel plough. Demand for Deere’s self-scouring plough rapidly grew as it was innovative and aided farmers to work more efficiently.
John Deere realized that smooth steel was more efficient and did not get easily stuck in the mud. As demand for John Deere’s plough grew, he moved his shop to Moline, Illinois, along the east bank of the Mississippi River since Water transportation was the cheapest and most efficient in the 19th century.
John Deere’s plough was instrumental in enabling the western migration of settlers during the 1800s. By 1855, Deere’s factory sold over 10,000 ploughs, and it became famously known as “The Plow that Broke the Plains.”
John Deere chose to increase its manufacturing rate and stockpile strategic inventory of its products so clients could take delivery of their equipment when they placed orders. In 1868 John Deere created Deere & Company, and in 1876 registered the first trademark.
Later in his life, John Deere focused on serving as a social leader. In 1873 he became the mayor of Moline, Illinois. In addition, he served as acting President of the National Bank of Moline and a trustee of the Congregational Church.
John Deere took his final breath in 1886, aged 82. He finally rests at the Riverside Cemetery located in Moline, Illinois. But, with beasts like John Deere 5045, his legacy still continues.
Evolution of John Deere & Company
John Deere & Company provided basic blacksmith products and services at the beginning. As John Deere’s steel plough became famous and sales shot up, the Company expanded its line of agricultural equipment.
Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company
John Deere & Company began producing tractors in 1912 under the charge of William Butterworth. The Company’s entry into the tractor sector became more embedded when it acquired the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1918. The Company continues manufacturing many high-horsepower tractors, like the John Deere 5310 in Waterloo.
Wartime Production
During the Second World War, Deere & Company directed the farm machinery and equipment division for the War Production Board. The Company helped the American government produce goods and machinery for the Allies’ war effort. As a result, Deere & Company expanded its manufacturing capability during wartime to include military tractors, transmissions, aircraft parts and other ammunition.
Construction & Forestry Equipment
Deere & Company 1956 formed its Industrial Equipment Division to develop construction equipment separate from its agriculture equipment. As a result, Deere & Company’s Construction enterprise has grown to be among the largest through organic growth and smart acquisitions.
Evolution of the John Deere Label
The John Deere trademark has featured the leaping deer since 1876. Although the logo has changed over time, it has remained fairly stable and identifiable. Today, anyone can look at the historical logo and immediately recognize them as the John Deere label.
In 2000 Deere & Company upgraded the branding to today’s logo. Most notably, the direction of the deer changed upward, while all prior logos featured the deer looking downward. The modern deer symbolizes strength, energy, movement, and progressiveness.
Best-Selling Tractor Brand
Deere is the best-selling tractor brand in the States. John Deere is anticipated to have around 65% share in the US tractor market.
Deere & Company Today
Deere & Company is a publicly listed New York Stock Exchange company. It is one of the largest farm-tech stocks, with an overall market capitalization of $108 billion as of 2021.
The largest shareholders in Deere & Company are Bill Gates’s investment Company, Cascade Investment, which owns 10% of Deere & Company.
The Deere family no longer owns a predominant stake in the Company. However, generations of the Deere family have participated in the Company’s leadership roles.
How Has John Deere Helped Improve The Farm?
Farming remains a critical industry since we all need food. Farming productivity directly impacts the economic well-being of all countries. If the population is fed unhealthy, the other industries collapse quickly.
200 years ago, 90% of the world’s population worked on farms; today, accounting for 3%. This dramatic reduction has led to an economic boom.
John Deere’s innovation has led to better farm equipment, directly improving the overall well-being of the global economy.
As a result, it is estimated that during the past 20 years, over a billion people have been lifted out of poverty. Farming productivity has been a major contributor to this trend. With this idea, John Deere has played an instrumental role in reducing global poverty.