The War Machine
At the beginning of World War II there were 1.6 million tractors in farm use across America. Restriction of farm implement production began in 1941, as the industry was required to produce ammunition, aircraft parts, cargo trucks, military laundry units, and of course, military tractors.
During the post-war era, John Deere introduced the Model M in 1947. Within 24 months, the Model M was offered in a 4,000-pound crawler version, dubbed the MC, which when fitted with a front blade option, became a bulldozer.
Another milestone was reached in 1949 with the introduction of the company's first diesel tractor--the Model R. This two-cylinder machine produced 43 belt horsepower and utilized a unique two-cylinder gasoline engine (pony motor) to fire the diesel. The 7,400-pound tractor was aimed directly at the large wheat and rice farmer and was the first John Deere tractor to offer an enclosed cab.
In 1953 the Model 70 was the largest row-crop tractor produced. Originally offered in gasoline, all-fuel, or LP-gas, it also became the first diesel row-crop tractor. By this time, John Deere had gone international, with plants in France, Argentina, South Africa, and Mexico.
John Deere surpassed International Harvester in sales in 1963 and became the world's largest farm equipment manufacturer. The company entered the consumer market, producing and selling a full line of lawn and garden tractors along with attachments. The famous slogan "Nothing Runs Like A Deere," appeared in 1971, advertising the company's new snowmobile line. This slogan continues, though the snowmobiles did not.
In 1980 John Deere launched a new, four-row cotton picker, which increased operator output by 85 to 95 percent. Though this decade was tough, the company acquired Farm Plan Corporation (finance), Funk Manufacturing (powertrain components), and signed an agreement with Hitachi to assemble excavators in the United States.
Company growth continued into the 1990s with the lawn-and-grounds-care equipment division becoming a separate entity. SABO, a European producer of lawnmowers, was purchased. Homelite was also acquired. A new series of 5000, 6000, and 7000 tractors were launched, along with the company purchase of Cameco Industries, a producer of sugar cane-harvesting equipment.
In 2001 the company formed John Deere Landscapes, with the purchase of McGinnis Farms and Century Rain Aid equipment. In 2007, the company acquired LESCO, a leading supplier of landscape and pest control products. A new tractor-producing facility was also purchased in China.
Today, John Deere continues its successful pace through profit, expansion, joint ventures, and employee support. But at its very core, the company still clings to its roots--a plow made from steel.