HEBRON, IND. AND KERNERSVILLE, N.C. — Agricultural and construction machinery company John Deere (NYSE: DE) plans to open two new industrial facilities in the United States. The developments include a distribution center near Hebron, Ind., and a manufacturing campus in Kernersville, N.C.
John Deere recently broke ground on the 234-acre Indiana facility, which is designed to streamline operations and ensure timely delivery of equipment and parts. John Deere plans to invest $125 million to equip and development the 1.2 million-square-foot project, which is situated just off I-65. According to the company, the project is expected to create roughly 150 jobs in the state.
John Deere also operates its primary North American parts distribution center in the Midwest region in Milan, Ill. That facility has been in operation since 1973 and employs roughly 1,200 people.
In Kernersville, a new $70 million manufacturing center will produce excavators for the construction market, assuming production activity that was previously conducted in Japan. The campus total approximately 400,000 square feet and will employ more than 150 people.
“We are excited to bring this new facility to our Kernersville campus and to be part of the region’s thriving manufacturing community,” said Ryan Campbell, president of worldwide construction and forestry and power systems at John Deere, in a statement.
According to John Deere, the new facilities are part of a commitment to invest $20 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the next 10 years.
“It is a testament to our confidence in the future of U.S. manufacturing and our unwavering commitment to innovation, quality and economic growth,” says John May, chairman and CEO of John Deere.
Founded in 1837 by blacksmith and inventor John Deere, the company has grown from Grand Detour, Ill., to a nationwide presence. Today, the firm’s 30,000 U.S. employees work at over 60 facilities across more than 16 states.
John Deere’s stock price closed on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at $525.01 per share, up from $478.16 a year ago, a 9.8 percent increase.
— Hayden Spiess