New model John Deere sprayer.
Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is touting its new product lines, which include an S-700 combine series.
Randy Sergesketter, a senior vice president at Quad Cities-based John Deere, says the 2018 combines will help farmers “harvest smarter” as they’re designed to make it easier to set up and run the machines to get the best yield.
“Many customers I visit express their challenges in hiring combine operators who can capably adjust the combine during the harvest day, minimizing grain loss and maximizing grain quality,” Sergesketter says. “Our team has listened carefully and developed a new solution that will enable combine operators to optimize and automate and maintain machine settings and performance.”
Deere introduced a universal command center display and control arm in the cabs of combines, tractors and other machines. The goal is to minimize training time by giving operators the same, portable software and display to use in each different piece of equipment.
Doug Roberts is Deere’s director of the Global Combine and Front End Equipment Product Line.
“Every time we move into a new model year such as model year 18, we make some changes to the assembly line and tooling but we’re heavily focused right now on improving quality and the safety of our employees,” Roberts says, “and then some moderate changes to the assembly lines due to the new products we’re manufacturing here, mostly related to the corn heads and the drapers.”
Deere also unveiled other 2018 products and services. For example, new front end equipment will be available, such as a more durable corn header and draper. Drapers are used to harvest smaller grains, like canola and wheat, which may require wind rows.
(Thanks to Michelle O’Neill, WVIK, Rock Island/Photos courtesy of Deere)