Featured Story October 02, 2025
Davenport Works Named “ASSEMBLY Plant of the Year”
Walk through the doors of John Deere Davenport Works and you’ll feel it immediately. The hum of precision. The rhythm of progress. The pride in every weld, every bolt, every machine rolling off the line. This isn’t just a factory. It’s a living legacy—one that’s constantly evolving.
Honoring Our Roots
“We’ve assembled earthmoving machines in Davenport, Iowa, since 1974,” said Tom Johnson, factory manager. “The location was chosen for a good reason. Close to our customers and industry leading talent, as well as adjacent to major transportation routes, it gave us the reach we needed to grow our industrial equipment line.”
That foundation set the stage for what Davenport Works would become. What began as a bold idea has grown into a 2.2 million square foot facility producing utility and production class loaders, motor graders, articulated dump trucks, skidders, and wheeled feller bunchers.
Innovation That Serves
Today, Davenport Works is more than steel and concrete. It’s a smart, connected manufacturing system. The factory has invested in technology infrastructure, a 5G cellular network, vision systems, machine learning algorithms, and automation, just to name a few. These technologies don’t just transform how the factory operates. These technologies help produce high-tech equipment for our customers.
One example is SmartDetect™, an optional computer vision and machine learning system integrated into mid- and large-size loaders. This technology is designed to enhance jobsite safety and operator awareness.
“SmartDetect is like an extra set of eyes on our loaders,” explains Mike Webb, loader business unit manager. “Using advanced cameras and machine learning, it helps our customers spot people and objects around the machine.It’s not just smart—it’s safety in motion.”
The challenges faced by construction workers—such as getting the job done right the first time, optimizing labor, and maximizing productivity—mirror those encountered within the factory. This shared experience fuels a commitment to building smarter, safer, and more responsive equipment.
“Our equipment today is smarter, and is designed to enhance operator awareness and be more responsive to customer needs,” Webb adds. “We’ve come a long way from our early days, but the commitment to quality and innovation has never changed.”
In October, Davenport Works was featured in ASSEMBLY magazine as the 2025 ASSEMBLY Plant of the Year.
A Moment of Recognition
That commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed. In October, Davenport Works was featured in ASSEMBLY magazine as the 2025 ASSEMBLY Plant of the Year. The award recognizes world-class manufacturing excellence across the United States and highlights how factories are using advanced technology to solve real world challenges.
“We selected the John Deere Davenport Works for our 2025 award because of the way that it has applied cutting-edge technology in a high-mix production environment,” says Austin Weber, senior editor of ASSEMBLY magazine. “In particular, this facility stands out for how it has implemented an innovative 5G communications network that significantly improves wireless connectivity and assembly line layout flexibility.”
Built for What’s Next
“By integrating robotics, digital twins, smart fastening tools, and data analytics, we’re improving across all our manufacturing processes; working with more precision, flexibility, and speed,” shared Johnson. “Our teams are learning these technologies, teaching each other along the way and developing better processes to continue transforming our business to be the best for our customers. The big leaps come from the innovations we make every day.”
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