The John Deere Dubuque Works stands as a cornerstone of both Dubuque, Iowa, and the broader John Deere legacy. For decades, this sprawling manufacturing complex has been a vital employer and a hub of innovation, particularly in the realm of industrial and construction equipment. This article delves into the rich history of the Dubuque Works, tracing its growth from a nascent tractor factory to a world-leading producer of heavy machinery.
The story of John Deere Dubuque Works began in 1943 when Deere and Company recognized the burgeoning need for a new tractor manufacturing facility. The “Dubuque Program” was publicly announced on December 31, 1944, signaling a major expansion for the company. Just over a month later, on February 7, 1945, Dubuque was officially selected as the site for this ambitious project. The location, three miles north of Dubuque in the area known as “Peru Bottoms,” offered several strategic advantages. Its proximity to existing Deere plants in Moline, Waterloo, and Ottumwa streamlined logistics, while Dubuque’s robust transportation infrastructure was another key draw. Deere & Company acquired 742 acres of land, and on June 25, 1945, groundbreaking commenced for the expansive 600,000 square foot factory. This marked a significant milestone as the first tractor factory Deere built entirely from the ground up. To prepare for the new operation, initial employee training was conducted by experienced workers from the Moline plant, utilizing the old roundhouse in East Dubuque. The John Deere Dubuque Works officially opened its doors in May 1946, ready to contribute to the company’s growing manufacturing empire.
An aerial view of the airport at the Dubuque John Deere Works, highlighting the scale of the facility and its integration with transportation infrastructure.
The arrival of John Deere in Dubuque also brought labor organization into focus. Several unions, including the FE-CIO (United Farm Equipment Workers), the American Federation of Labor (AFL), and the United Auto Workers (UAW), actively sought to represent the plant’s workforce. In 1947, employees voted for the FE-CIO to become their collective bargaining agent, a move spearheaded by labor activist Emil Ploessel. On March 12, 1947, a significant moment in Dubuque Works history occurred: the first Dubuque-made tractor, the Model “M,” rolled off the assembly line. The plant expanded its product line to include variations of the Model “M,” such as the “MC,” “MI,” and “MT.” The same year of the Model M’s debut, labor relations continued to evolve. Workers opted to unionize, initially with the FE-CIO. However, a contract ratification impasse led to a two-week strike by 1,200 maintenance and production workers in June 1947. By June 1948, hourly employees shifted their representation to the UAW-CIO. Demonstrating its commitment to the community, and addressing an early housing shortage in Dubuque, Deere constructed 111 brick housing units north of Hillcrest and parallel to Chaney Road.
The demand for John Deere tractors remained strong, and by 1952, the Dubuque Works had produced over 87,000 units. An enhanced version of the Model “M,” the “A” series, was introduced in 1952, though its production run was brief, marking the end of the “lettered tractors” era in Dubuque. Plant expansions in 1948-1949 and again in 1950 were fueled in part by government contracts related to the Korean Conflict. September 1950 saw the first prolonged strike at the plant, lasting 112 days. As customer needs evolved, demanding more powerful and comfortable tractors with features like a three-point hitch, the Dubuque Works responded with the 40 series. These were the first “numbered” tractors produced in Dubuque, available in seven models. In just two years, nearly 49,000 tractors of the 40 series were manufactured.
October 27, 1955, marked the beginning of production for the 420s series, with a smaller 320 series following about nine months later. A key innovation of this era was the Direction Reverser, featured on seven of the eight 420 models, enabling forward and reverse movement in any gear. This feature proved particularly popular on the 420 crawler, which became the top seller in the series, accounting for 17,882 of the 47,450 units produced. While the 320 series had lower sales (3,084 units in two years), it catered to customers seeking a less powerful and more affordable tractor. The success of the 420 crawler was instrumental in John Deere’s growing presence in the industrial market.
A vintage John Deere Dubuque Works advertising clock, showcasing the company’s branding and connection to its manufacturing location.
1956 was the first year John Deere kept separate sales records for industrial equipment. That year, over $11 million in machines intended for construction, public works, and forestry were sold. Industrial equipment was no longer a secondary product line but a distinct and growing segment. This commitment to the industrial sector was formalized in 1958 with the establishment of the John Deere Industrial Division. Alongside separate sales tracking, a dedicated marketing organization and engineering department were created for industrial products. The Dubuque Works became the primary manufacturing hub for John Deere’s industrial machinery, while continuing to produce agricultural equipment. The Moline Industrial Equipment Works supported Dubuque by producing attachments like backhoes, loaders, side booms, and blades. In 1958, the Dubuque Works expanded its product line with the 330, 430, and 440 series, adding the 435 in 1959. The 440 series proved particularly significant, solidifying John Deere’s position in the industrial market as sales doubled in the 1958-1959 period. By 1958, the original factory size had nearly tripled to over one million square feet, and employment exceeded 2,200 people.
1960 was a pivotal year for the John Deere Dubuque Works. Production of the 440, 430, 330, and 435 series ceased, marking the end of the two-cylinder engine era. The “New Generation of Power,” featuring four and six-cylinder engines, was introduced, and John Deere intensified its focus on the industrial equipment market. The next two decades witnessed remarkable growth for the Dubuque Works. The plant produced the 1010, 2010, 3010, and 4010 wheel tractors, as well as the 1010 and 2010 crawlers. High demand fueled sales exceeding $93 million in 1964. Production increases necessitated further expansion of the Dubuque facilities to over 1,165,000 square feet, and employment climbed to 3,800. The company identified six key industrial product areas for development: crawler tractors, wheeled tractors, self-propelled elevating scrapers, four-wheel drive skidders, articulated motor graders, and four-wheel drive articulated loaders. To support the engineering of these advanced machines, the Product Engineering Center (PEC), a new 96,000 square foot engineering building, was constructed to enhance John Deere’s competitive edge in the industrial tractor business. Following the PEC announcement, plans for a 250,000 square foot addition to the Dubuque Works were unveiled. This expansion aimed to alleviate manufacturing congestion rather than significantly increase employment. A new guard house and fire station were also planned for a new plant entrance.
Throughout the mid-to-late 1960s, the Dubuque Works introduced four new products, a new identification system, and a refined product concept. In 1965, the JD440 four-wheel drive skidder was launched, along with a new “JD” prefix and three-digit numbering system for all industrial equipment. While the “JD” prefix was dropped in 1980, the three-digit numbering system persisted. Product development efforts also yielded a completely new line of machines to replace the “1010” to “5010” wheel models and the “1010” and “2010” crawlers. These included the JD300, JD400, JD500, JD600, JD700-A, and JD760 wheeled tractors, and the JD350 and JD450 crawler/dozers.
A historical photograph of the John Deere Dubuque Tractor Works, capturing a moment in time at this significant manufacturing plant.
A significant shift in product philosophy occurred during this period. Wheel and crawler tractors were no longer simply vehicles for attachments but were conceived as distinct machine lines: backhoes, utility tractors and loaders, and forklifts. This approach allowed for greater customization to meet specific customer needs. This concept was applied to all models following the 1965 releases. The industry’s first articulated motor graders, the JD570, debuted in 1967, followed by a four-wheel drive articulated loader a year later. The JD760A self-propelled scraper (1969) concluded the wave of new products introduced in the 1960s, replacing the Waterloo-built 5010 and 860 scrapers. Sales in the 1960s surged to $196 million, five times greater than at the start of the decade. Plant size doubled to 2,300,000 square feet during this expansionary period. From 1947 to 1957, employment at the Dubuque plant held steady at around 1,700. However, by 1967, it had reached 3,600, representing 9% of Dubuque’s total workforce. Employee numbers and production volume continued to climb from the 1960s into the late 1970s.
In 1969, the Dubuque Works officially became a primary industrial factory, triggering a major expansion of local facilities. This included a 377,870 square foot manufacturing building dedicated to Deere’s expanding industrial and construction equipment lines. Additional projects comprised a 40,000 square foot test building, a 13,000 square foot field test shop, and a 45,000 square foot shipping building. Office space remodeling added another 11,000 square feet. Upon completion, the John Deere plant in Dubuque covered approximately 70 acres under roof. The Industrial Equipment Works in Moline became a division of the Dubuque Works, and industrial product design was largely consolidated in Dubuque. Further growth in the 1970s led to the addition of the W-1 and W-2 buildings at the Dubuque facility, driven by new industrial models and global marketing initiatives.
The 1970s were a decade of record sales and growth for the Industrial Division, resulting in unprecedented expansion for the Dubuque Works and its workforce. In 1971, the Industrial Equipment Works of Moline closed, with a significant portion of its production transferred to Dubuque. By 1972, 85% of shipments from the Dubuque plant were for industrial applications, with the remainder for agriculture. In 1973, the plant’s name officially became the John Deere Dubuque Works. The ERAIII initiative in 1974 aimed to introduce larger forestry and construction machinery, including the JD740 four-wheel drive skidder and the JD743 three harvester. Large construction equipment introductions included the JD672, 772, 672A, and 772A motor graders, the JD844 four-wheel drive loader, and the JD850/855 and JD750/755 construction crawlers. To support this expanded product line, the Davenport Works opened in 1974. By the end of the decade, Dubuque and Davenport were manufacturing over six equipment models. Global marketing efforts pushed industrial sales to a record $996.8 million in 1979. By 1980, the original Dubuque floor space had expanded nearly eightfold to 5,250,000 square feet, stretching over a mile long and covering an area equivalent to 110 football fields. Employment had increased 12.5 times over 32 years to 8,270 people.
A belt buckle commemorating a John Deere Company dozer, representing the diverse product lines manufactured at the Dubuque Works.
In 1979, the commuter bus service for Deere employees was extended to non-Deere workers for a fee, ranging from $1.48 to $3.78 daily. This pilot program, serving residents of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, was detailed by the Iowa Department of Transportation on November 20, 1979. Several bus companies proposed routes to connect surrounding communities to the Dubuque Works. A survey of 4,000 Deere employees showed over 90% interest in the bus service, highlighting its importance to the workforce.
The “golden era” of the 1970s gave way to challenges in the 1980s. A global economic recession, high interest rates, and a sharp decline in construction projects reduced demand for industrial equipment. Employment at the Dubuque plant peaked in 1980 at 8,270 workers, but layoffs and company-encouraged early retirements led to a drastic reduction to around 3,000 employees by 1990. The Dubuque Works faced the closure of its Industrial Training Center in 1981, the end of agricultural tractor production in Dubuque in 1983, and the foundry closure in May 1987, with its operations and employees transferred to Waterloo. The facility lost over half of its workforce due to reduced production schedules. Sales fluctuated in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the Dubuque Works restructured. A key strategy was to identify core competencies: plate fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and paint. Other functions were outsourced. A 5 1/2 month strike in 1987, the longest between the UAW and Deere & Company, further marked this turbulent period.
The “Last Melt” plate from the John Deere foundry in Dubuque, created just before its closure in 1987. This memento represents the end of an era at the Dubuque Works.
In 1992, the Dubuque Works became one of the first two manufacturing operations within Deere & Company to achieve ISO 9001 registration and the first of two U.S. manufacturing sites to achieve registration to its Japanese equivalent, signifying a commitment to quality and efficiency. Despite workforce reductions, the Dubuque Works expanded its product lines and factory space. By 1990, the facility spanned 1,465 acres, still large enough to cover 110 football fields. Products included backhoe loaders, hydrostatic crawlers, log skidders, two-wheel-drive utility tractors, and utility and construction crawler loaders and dozers. The strategy for the 1990s centered on continuous improvement and profitable growth. The “New Approach” emphasized teamwork, with salary and wage employees collaborating towards shared goals. Teams were formed around core production areas: backhoes, crawlers, and engines. The factory interior was redesigned into a modular layout to consolidate operations for each product line. In 1993, the Dubuque Works achieved profitability for the first time in thirteen years. In 1995, the plant set a construction industry record with 3,626,215 working hours without a lost-time injury, highlighting its focus on safety and efficiency. By 1996, nearly 2,400 employees were involved in producing backhoes, engines, small crawlers (under 100 horsepower), and large crawlers (over 100 horsepower), along with winch assembly lines. In 1997, as the John Deere Dubuque Works celebrated its 50th anniversary, it had solidified its position as a global leader in industrial equipment.
In April 1998, company officials announced plans for an employee fitness center, similar to those at other Deere locations. The 24/7 center, offering an indoor track, cardiovascular and weight machines, and a basketball court, was projected to cost employees $120 annually and would also be accessible to spouses and retirees. In 2002, Skid Steer Loader Operations were moved to the Dubuque Works, marking the introduction of a new product line after a generation. However, the long-standing engine division was shut down during this period of realignment. In 2006, Deere announced the relocation of its forestry production operations from Canada to Dubuque. This move positioned the Dubuque Works as the engineering center for forestry products and added over 100 jobs, including 70 salaried engineering and R&D positions and 35 hourly production roles. The Dubuque plant also serves as headquarters for the John Deere Industrial Equipment Division’s Dealer Technical Assistance Center (DTAC), providing expert support to dealers. In the mid-2010s, despite challenges in other sectors, the Dubuque Works saw growth, driven by production of the 1050K Crawler Dozer and new Tracked Feller Bunchers/Harvesters for forestry. This led to the addition of 100 employees in late 2014 and early 2015, bringing total employment to an estimated 2,500, plus 200 contracted workers. In 2018, Deere & Company donated a 137-acre parcel near the Dubuque plant to the county for a park. This land, previously used for equipment testing, was named Proving Grounds Recreation Area in 2019. Park development commenced immediately, including parking, restrooms, and a pavilion. Plans for mountain biking trails, walking paths, and a disc golf course were developed, and bow hunting was permitted seasonally. By 2022, the John Deere Dubuque Works employed approximately 3,000 workers and stretched about 1.2 miles in length. Plant officials estimated that around 1.2 million machines had been built at the facility throughout its history.
Throughout its history, the John Deere Dubuque Works has not only been a major industrial force but also a significant part of the Dubuque community. From its early days as a tractor factory to its current status as a leading producer of diverse industrial and forestry equipment, the Dubuque Works embodies a legacy of innovation, adaptation, and economic contribution.
Source:
John Deere information materials for specific information on models and production
- Bergstrom, Kathy. “Fifty Years for Deere in Dubuque,” Telegraph Herald, July 20, 1997, p. 1. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19970720&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Hogstrom, Erik, “John Deere Dubuque Works Launches ‘Vast Expansion’ 50 Years Ago,” Telegraph Herald, December 20, 2019, p. 5A
- Bergstrom
- Ibid., p. 6A
- Gatch, Calvin. “Bus Network Open to Deere, Non-Deere Workers,” Telegraph Herald, November 20, 1979, p. 4
- Ibid.
- Bergstrom
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Nevans-Pederson, Mary. “Deere to Construct Plant Fitness Center,” Telegraph Herald, April 4, 1998, p. 3A. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19980404&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
- Kittle, M. D., “Deere Plant Adds Forestry Division,” Telegraph Herald, January 27, 2006, p. 1A
- Montgomery, Jeff. “Deere Runs Strong in Dubuque,” Telegraph Herald, February 13, 2015, p. 1
- Yager, Alicia, “Work Continues on County Park,” Telegraph Herald, January 4, 2019, p. 3AQ
- Hinga, Allie, “Proving Grounds Featuring Rare Plants, Animals,” Telegraph Herald, July 25, 2019, p. 3A
- 175 Years, Volume Three, Telegraph Herald, September 15, 2008
