Quad Cities-based John Deere is announcing plans to expand one of its facilities in Iowa. Deere is making a massive addition to its Waterloo factory, adding to the company’s capacity to build large, high-horsepower tractors by about 40%.
Officials say the investment will help the company meet expectations for market demand worldwide. The 97-million dollar project will include adding more than 100,000 square feet to the Waterloo plant’s drive train operation, while Deere’s also improving its factory in Coffeyville, Kansas, where transmissions and other drive train components are built.
The move is not expected to bring a substantial number of new jobs. Both projects are to be complete by early 2010. Tractors built in Waterloo are exported to more than 130 countries.
AUDIO: Radio Iowa’s Matt Kelley reports on John Deere expansion.:39 MP3
