John Deere Tractor Assembly Plant
October 4, 2006
In Waterloo, Iowa we found Beck’s Pub and Grille where we had lunch and played trivia. Kathy got on the big board, 6th in the nation playing Appeteasers and Will got on the board in 17th in the nation with a later game. We enjoy playing. Kathy sampled the micro beer Grizzly Bear, a dark malt- yum.
At one o’clock we had a tour of the John Deere Factory. They run three shifts: production, clean-up, and stocking. About 27 tractors come out of the factory every day. There were four people for the tour including us; the other three were JD engineers from North Carolina. We boarded a custom flatbed with benches, which we rode around the plant listening to our guide, Bill and driver Ted. Both had worked for John Deere for many years. This particular plant manufactures the three largest tractors made by JD: the 7000, 8000 and 9000 series. The process works through assembly lines of workers customizing each tractor. Each of the three lines have two sections, a brown and green section. All lines have the paint shop in common. The only basic manufacturing they do in the shop is welding of the cabs and frames of the 9000; the rest is assembly work putting together items that are manufactured elsewhere to specs and sent here. Things are tested then assembled and tested again. Each tractor that is manufactured has already been sold to a dealer or a customer. As part of the Golden Key program, customers get to be the first to start up their tractor, review the spec sheets of 6-18 pages and drive their finished machine off the production line.
We found our way toward Marshalltown and found the river access Jesse R. Furrow Sr. park where we made diner and enjoyed quiet time.
In Waterloo, Iowa we found Beck’s Pub and Grille where we had lunch and played trivia. Kathy got on the big board, 6th in the nation playing Appeteasers and Will got on the board in 17th in the nation with a later game. We enjoy playing. Kathy sampled the micro beer Grizzly Bear, a dark malt- yum.
At one o’clock we had a tour of the John Deere Factory. They run three shifts: production, clean-up, and stocking. About 27 tractors come out of the factory every day. There were four people for the tour including us; the other three were JD engineers from North Carolina. We boarded a custom flatbed with benches, which we rode around the plant listening to our guide, Bill and driver Ted. Both had worked for John Deere for many years. This particular plant manufactures the three largest tractors made by JD: the 7000, 8000 and 9000 series. The process works through assembly lines of workers customizing each tractor. Each of the three lines have two sections, a brown and green section. All lines have the paint shop in common. The only basic manufacturing they do in the shop is welding of the cabs and frames of the 9000; the rest is assembly work putting together items that are manufactured elsewhere to specs and sent here. Things are tested then assembled and tested again. Each tractor that is manufactured has already been sold to a dealer or a customer. As part of the Golden Key program, customers get to be the first to start up their tractor, review the spec sheets of 6-18 pages and drive their finished machine off the production line.We found our way toward Marshalltown and found the river access Jesse R. Furrow Sr. park where we made diner and enjoyed quiet time.
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