Deere & Co. investing $40M to retrofit Brazil plant for 8R tractors
by Canadian Manufacturing Daily Staff
Factory in Montenegro, Brazil, expected to begin producing tractors by fall 2015
MOLINE, Ill.—The maker of John Deere tractors and equipment says it’s investing $40-million in a plant in Brazil to build its line of popular 8R tractors for the South American market.
According to Deere & Co., it is making the investment in its factory in Montenegro, Brazil, to build the farming favourite 8R lineup of tractors.
“Our customers in Brazil are investing in higher horsepower tractors in the range offered by the 8R model,” president of Deere’s worldwide agriculture & turf division Mark Von Pentz said in a statement.
“Our decision to manufacture the 8R in Montenegro should allow the machine to be eligible for FINAME financing—the public program that targets investment in Brazil’s economic development.”
John Deere has been operating in Brazil since 1979.
Deere builds several models of tractors at the Montenegro facility
“As we have recently stated, demand for John Deere equipment has remained strong both in North and South America,” Von Pentz said.
“Our customers are finding productivity gains in using the significant technology designed into the 8R and we want to continue to meet our customer demand as Brazil enhances its position as one of the breadbaskets of the world.”
Deere currently manufactures 8R tractors in Waterloo, Iowa, and will continue to do so for markets around the world.
The company said re-configuration of the Brazil factory will begin in later this year and it expects to be producing 8R models in Brazil by late fall 2015.
