Deere's Horicon Plant Supplies Hunters and the U.S. Army

Horicon – April 24 -- In a factory that made horse-drawn farming equipment in the 1800s, John Deere Corp. has a modern assembly line that employs more than 1,000 people making riding lawn mowers and utility vehicles.

The latter, especially, have grown in popularity as outdoor enthusiasts want something that can carry more passengers and cargo than three-wheel all-terrain vehicles.

In a year when much of the lawn-and-garden industry is hurting from a slow start to spring and a sputtering global economy, John Deere is glad to build the popular utility vehicles, which have bench seats, fully enclosed cabs, a heater, and work equipment such as a snowplow.

Originally used for farm work, the John Deere Gators are used for hunting and general recreation. For thrill seekers, some of the little machines can reach speeds topping 40 mph.

About 40% of the Horicon factory's production is now for Gators, compared with none before 2009 when the factory focused on lawn-and-garden equipment.

Deere closed a plant in Canada and moved the Gator production to Wisconsin and Mexico.

The Horicon plant is Dodge County's largest manufacturer, with 1,100 hourly and 300 salaried employees, according to county officials.

"We would probably have a little higher employment level if lawn-and-garden tractor sales weren't so sluggish" this spring, said Steve Johnson, John Deere Horicon Works manager.

"The utility vehicle business is more year-round and has higher sales in the fall for hunting. It helps us level out our workforce and have employees concentrating on lawn equipment in the spring. It's a very good mix for the factory," he added.

The U.S. military ordered Gators for use in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the small vehicles were dropped out of helicopters to reach remote areas.

The six-wheeled military utility vehicles, called M-Gators, have been used to haul supplies and transport injured soldiers. The military has experimented with a robotic version that can send video, sounds and sensor readings from hostile areas without putting soldiers at risk.

"There's also a pure recreational market for utility vehicles that's starting to mature. They're faster, high-performance machines," Johnson said.

John Deere has spent millions of dollars upgrading its Horicon factory that produced the company's first lawn-and-garden tractor in 1963 and has undergone a high-tech makeover that's helped save jobs.

The credit goes to the plant's employees, Johnson said.

"They give us great suggestions on how to improve quality levels, and how to move out of their way so they can be more efficient and productive. When we do that, we ultimately reduce our costs. It allows us to stay competitive with Mexico and China," he added.

For decades, the plant manufactured farm equipment. Then it morphed into riding lawn tractors, new types of riding mowers, and utility vehicles.

The latest John Deere lawn tractor, the X700 series, has a mowing deck that can be attached and removed while the operator remains in the seat.

Product research and development and testing are done in Horicon.

"Over the years, this plant has reinvented itself multiple times in order to remain a viable business," Johnson said.

Employees commute from about a 50-mile radius, including Milwaukee County, and shop employees are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

The plant has a beneficial effect on smaller companies that supply parts and services.

"John Deere has quite a reach in this area. I have dealt with many firms that do support work for them," said Trent Campbell, executive director of the Beaver Dam Area Development Corp.

"They are a large entity. I couldn't imagine Horicon without that plant thriving," Campbell said.

Rick Barrett     www.jsonline.com