(6-29-24) John Deere announced recently that it it is moving the manufacturing of their skid steer loaders and compact track loaders from its Dubuque, Iowa facility to Mexico by the end of 2026.

Yesterday John Deere officials announced that around 280 workers from a plant in East Moline, Illinois, 230 employees n Davenport, Iowa and 100 production employees at the company’s Dubuque, Iowa, plant will all be layoffed effective August 30th.

In October, John Deere announced 225 layoffs at its Harvester Works plant in East Moline, 34 production employees were laid off in May at its Moline Cylinder Works factory, in March, company officials announced that 150 more workers at a plant in Ankeny, Iowa, where sprayers and cotton pickers are made were left go…500 employees will be let go at its Waterloo, Iowa plant.

The situation resembles what took place in Celina in 1998 when Huffy’s Bicycles decided to stop manufacturing in the US and moved its operations to Mexico. Over 1,000 area workes lost their jobs.

Only time will tell if John Deere’s move to Mexico will benefit the future of the company…and will local farmers continue to purchase from an out of country company.

It didn’t work for Huffy’s and in 2004 they filed for bankruptcy. The company lost $7.5 million in 2003 and its stock plummeted from $6.80 a share in December to 58 cents in August, when the New York Stock Exchange suspended trading because the company’s market value had fallen too low.