Approximately 150 production employees at the John Deere Des Moines Works facility in Ankeny, Iowa, will be affected by indefinite layoffs starting in April and May. This announcement came directly from factory leadership to the production workers on Friday, according to a company statement.
John Deere cited the need to “balance the size of its production workforce with the needs of the individual factory to optimize the workforce at each facility” as the primary reason for this decision. Spokesperson Dustin Lemmon stated that the company would not provide further comments beyond the official statement. Attempts to reach Justin Limke, president of UAW Local 450, the union representing workers at the Ankeny plant, for comment were not immediately successful.
The John Deere Ankeny plant, situated at 825 S.W. Irvinedale Drive, is a major employer in the region, with around 1,700 employees. Of these, 1,136 are in production and maintenance roles. The facility specializes in the manufacturing of heavy agricultural equipment, including advanced sprayers and cotton pickers, essential for modern farming operations.
Despite the layoffs, it’s important to note that John Deere is currently undertaking a significant 139,000-square-foot expansion of its sprayer production facility at the Ankeny campus, expected to be completed within the year. Furthermore, plans for a new 20,000-square-foot laboratory building at the Ankeny location have been presented to Ankeny city officials, indicating ongoing investment in the site’s long-term capabilities and potentially future job creation in different areas.
This news from John Deere Ankeny arrives shortly after Tyson Foods declared the permanent closure of its Perry, Iowa, pork plant, which will result in approximately 1,300 job losses. These events highlight the fluctuating economic conditions impacting Iowa’s workforce and the broader manufacturing sector in the region.
While the John Deere Ankeny layoffs represent a setback for affected workers and their families, the company’s continued investment in facility expansion suggests a forward-looking approach to its operations in Ankeny. The community will be closely watching how these developments unfold and their overall impact on the local economy.
