11.27.12

Hoeven Congratulates John Deere on Company Expansion

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today congratulated John Deere Company on breaking ground for yet another expansion, the company’s Valley City manufacturing plant. The company is growing, the senator said, because North Dakota has worked to build a business climate that is driving technology innovation and growth.

“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is another important milestone for John Deere’s continued presence in North Dakota,” Hoeven said. “This company has long stood on the cutting edge, and we are grateful for their growing presence in North Dakota, and we remain committed to helping foster a business climate that will enable John Deere to continue growing, innovating and creating more good jobs.”

The groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of a $20 million, 100,000-square-foot expansion of the Valley City John Deere plant. The factory makes air seeders and tillage equipment and currently employees approximately 325 workers. John Deere anticipates the expansion may create up to an additional 100 news jobs at the Valley City facility.

In October, Hoeven, along with federal, state and local officials, participated in a ceremony to dedicate the new John Deere Electronic Solutions (JDES) facility in Fargo. This $22 million, high-tech building is designed to provide additional space for manufacturing a growing engineering staff and product-design and verification labs. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Hoeven touted North Dakota’s business climate and John Deere’s history of innovation as prime factors for the company’s strong record of job creation and growth.

As governor, Hoeven launched initiatives designed to promote North Dakota’s technology and advanced manufacturing sectors. Technology-based businesses and advanced manufacturing were designated as two of the state’s targeted industries. Hoeven also launched the Centers of Excellence initiative, which partnered companies with the state’s universities to research, develop and commercialize new products and services.