2011 John Deere New Product Launch

John Deere Largest Product Launch Ever

Indianapolis, Indiana August 25, 2011

By Larry Hiatt

Over 6500 dealers and media representatives gathered in Indianapolis, Indiana today as John Deere rolled out the largest new product launch in the 174 year history of the company.
The evening, preceded by a day of field testing, featured the theme
‘Accelerated Growth” and laid out John Deere Company’s plan for feeding the world into the next decade.
John Lagermann, John Deere Vice President Sales and Marketing – United States/Canada/Australia and New Zealand addressed the audience and called the new product launch the culmination of a wide portfolio of products combined with new integrated technology. Lagermann said the new products and technology will make John Deere the industry leader heading into the next decade and will allow producers world wide increased productivity to meet the high demands of the world for food. Lagermann said in any other year the launch of the new combine series would be a major event in itself and underlined the dynamic nature of this years new product launch.
Barry Nelson, Manager of Media Relations for John Deere said the public viewing of the new line up of equipment for 2012 culminated in the most significant launch in the history of the company. Nelson said the launch of these new products greatly extends John Deere’s broad portfolio of equipment products for use in all types of farming , livestock and specialty crop operations, as well as for commercial and property maintenance businesses.
‘Across the board, we’ve increased the power and added many features to our new equipment that will make customers even more productive, wherever these new machines are used.’ Nelson says. ‘This is the strongest lineup of new ag products ever from John Deere.
In addition to new John Deere combines, headers and tractors, the company also introduced its new 7R Series Tractors for the row crop market, its largest, most advanced self propelled 4940 Sprayer with a 1,200 gal. solution tank, 120 foot booms, and advaced loading and application technologies, and revolutionary Triple Mounted Mower – Conditioner that cuts a swath more than 28 feet wide.
Nelson says “these are the most innovative, technologically, integrated and productive farm machines that we have ever designed. Plus, he says all John Deere products are built for years of reliable, dependable service and backed by our extensive dealer network for professional in service and maintenance.
Earlier in the day John Deere bused a full load of media representatives to a field demonstration where all the new equipment was on display.
Included in the impressive lineup were the new John Deere S series Combines featuring exceptional power and capacity. Among the many features in the spacious new cab was a fridge, which also featured a full capacity for favorite beverages to help cool down those hot harvest days.
I was given the opportunity to drive one of the brand new 9R and 9RT four wheel drive tractors. These massive machines feature a 360 to 560 engine horse power and I was amazed at how easily they handled. Each of the media reps were assigned a drive buddy in case of problems encountered however the big tractors handled well for all of the novice operators.
Also introduced were the 8335R Tractor Series. Chad Hogan, division marketing manager from Waterloo Tractor Works pointed out that these are the first row crop tractors tested in Nebraska that breaks the 300 rated PYO horsepower barrier. The 8335R delivers a record 306.6 PTO hp in the rated engine speed PTO test. John Deere rounded out the tractor introductions with the 7R series Tractors, the 6R series Row Crop Tractors, and the new 5M and 5E Limited Series Utility Tractors.
Fascinating to many of the media representatives was John Deere’s introduction of new Machine Sync Technology designed to optimize harvesting in the field. The new technology provides timely, critical information on equipment location, operational status and automates equipment during harvest.
The Machine Communication Radio is the first radio on the market that can create an in-field, high speed wireless network to facilitate machine to machine communication. John Deere demonstrated a combine working with a tractor and grain cart with wireless technology allowing the tractor operator to go hands free,.
The product launch rounded out with the introduction of new updated AMS products for the 2013 season, and a new triple mounted mower conditioner.
The new product launch concluded with the introduction of new XUVs including an entry into the sport utility market with many of the XUVs featuring room for an operator and three passengers

The Joy of air travel

Got to the Indianapolis airport in lots of time for my 1pm flight only to be told that my 1pm flight was now a 4pm flight.
Apparently lots of flights have been cancelled, not out of Indianapolis, but on the east coast because of the predicted hurricane.
And as the lady explained that causes a ripple effect in all the other airports with scheduled flights either being cancelled or postponed. Oh well at least I have the internet in the Indy airport and can catch up on my John Deere homework. Have to start some writing now and putting together a special section.
The whole John Deere equipment launch was really first class. Amazing how they can work so many thousands of people, dealers and media, through the system with very few hic ups. Or at least noticeable ones. Apparently some of the John Deere staffed arrived in Indianapolis two months ago to get ready for this and one JD media rep said she had been working full time on this
equipment launch for a year.
They unveiled a lot of new equipment. In addition to the new John Deere combines, headers and tractors they also introduced a very impressive sprayer with 120 foot booms. Thats a pretty large span.
I enjoyed driving the new 9R series tractor. Huge machine and yet it handled so easily.
Indianapolis is a real sports city. All kinds of events happen here. The Colts are huge. Everywhere you go you run it to sports bars, night clubs etc all carrying a Colt theme. Then this is all the college sports. The Perdue Boilermakers are a big thing in college football and then of course there is pro basketball, triple A baseball and then auto racing. The Indy 500, Brickland 400 and Nascar all bring thousands to the city.
Very easy city to navigate as well. Roughly about the same size as Ottawa and traffic patterns are very similar. Well five more hours to go until flight time so time to do some work etc.

Equipment Launch In Indianapolis

The John Deere largest new equipment launch in their history came to an end today at noon. It was very well done as JD introduced several new lines of tractors plus a combine launch and utility vehicles as well.
Afternoon I took a walk around the downtown areas of Indianapolis. Another pretty hot day today plus the sun really pounds down on the concrete downtown.
Went to the NCAA museum today. Very interesting as it shows all the highlights of the many Division One, Two and Three that make up the NCAA and its college teams. Also had the opportunity to walk along the canal in the downtown area. Not too long a canal but pretty. Then in the evening I took a walk over to the Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL.
it is a massive structure with a retractable roof. Very impressive. Would love to watch a game in there. Tomorrow night the
Colts are hosting the NFL Champion Green Bay Packers. Would be awesome to go to that but my flight is booked with Air Canada for tomorrow afternoon or at least I hope it is. I tried tonight to do the pre flight booking and download my boarding passes but the computer would not allow me do that and does not recognize Indianapolis as being an airport that Air Canada flies out of.
However my ticket says Indianapolis to Toronto so I will have to get to the airport early and get that straightened out.
Will be good to get back to Saskatoon. Very hot and muggy here which I find quite draining. We get the same type of temperatures in Saskatchewan but the humidity seems so much higher here. it's nice to get away but its even nicer to get back home.

A Really Green Day

Today was a long day but an interesting one. This is the largest new equipment launch in the 174 year history of John Deere and the launch is taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The morning started out with us being bused out of Indianapolis to a very large farm and of course the host farmer had plenty of John Deere equipment in his every day operation. In addition to that there were several hundred pieces of brand new equipment being unveiled. Those included three lines of tractors, a new combine introduction, s new Gator launch including a sport model
and what was very interesting a new tracking system that allows a combine and a tractor and grain cart to operate simitaineously
in the field with the tractor cart operator able to go hands free and still keep pace with the unloading combine. I won't even begin to try to explain all the ins and outs of how that is done. Gets just a little bit technical for me.
I was able to take one of the brand new large four wheel drive tractors for a drive around that field and that was a first for me.
Have never operated equipment quite that large before and it was amazing how easily it handled despite its massive size.
We were paired up with a John Deere rep so there wouldn't be any run away tractors heading into Indianapolis. My drive buddy was a young lady (pictured by the tractor) from Germany employed with John Deere but brought over to help with this massive
equipment launch.
In the evening John Deere staged a light and sound show at the Indianapolis Convention Centre featuring all the new equipment.
It was very good and the Convention Centre was completed packed with hundreds and hundreds of John Deere dealers and a very large media contingent from all over North America. I got some really good pictures but for some reason my camera is refusing to download them for me. Remember earlier in this post what i said about technology and technical things,
After the show they served a supper with more food than you good imagine.
In the evening I walked down to the Indiana War Memorial and also the state capital buildings. Very impressive.
It got up to about 94 degrees today and now there is another large storm rumbling through. I have my curtains open and there are some spectacular bolts of lightning happeining.
Indianapolis is an interesting city. They tell me it is very much a sports town with NFL football being the biggest game in town but it is also the home and head of the NCAA. And anyone who has followed American college sports will know just how huge the NCAA is. There is a NCAA museum here that I am hoping to get a chance to see tomorrow. And then there are malls, malls and more malls. I am staying at the Omni right downtown and it is connected to the largest mall.
An interesting day and it all wraps up tomorrow.

Indianapolis, Indiana

I arrived in Indianapolis about 3:30 yesterday afternoon and today is the launch of what John Deere is billing as the largest new equipment launch ever. Flew in through a pretty good storm. There was a 5.9 scale earthquake in Virginia yesterday that shook windows as far away as Chicago. The pilot announced that we were going to have to divert to Cincinatti and wait out the storm on the ground but then suddenly we were into the storm and a half hour or so later we landed in Indianapolis.
Last night was a formal night and an opportunity to meet the dignataries and today we are being bused outside of Indianapolis for a morning of field demonstrations. We get back at about 5pm, have an hour or so to freshen up and then there is a showing at the Convention Centre.
My hotel is right downtown. The Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, is right across the street and it is a massive structure complete with a roll back roof. The Colts are playing the defending NFL champion Green Bay Packers friday night in an
exhibition game but unfortunately I fly back Friday afternoon.
Indianapolis is an interesting city. Lots of old brick buildings, tons of museums. I haven't found out what are the things to see and do yet, although I am sure the Indianapolis Speedway, home of the Indy 500, would be one tourism site.
Well must get ready. Almost time to catch the buses for our field trip. Be a chance to see a little more of the city as we head to the rural areas today.

Odds and Ends From Around The Ship

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Brrrr - Alaska Glaciers

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Skagway and The White Pass Railroad

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Whale Watching In Alaska

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Allaska

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35th Wedding Anniversary

While we were on our Alaskan cruise, we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary, July 24th, 1976. Valerie had sent an email reminiscing about the cute little flower girls we had way back then. So we looked them up in the album and posted those pictures along with a couple of others.

Odds and Ends From Around The Ship

As we have mentioned in several previous posts, the meals on board the Diamond Princess are just fabulous. On a single cruise approximately 115 tons of food are delivered to the ship.
The amount of food prepared daily is impressive.
Fish 1400 pounds daily
Meat - poultry 1000 lbs, beef 1500 lbs, Pork 1200 lbs, veal 300 lbs and lamb 200 lbs
In addition 1600 lbs of salad are served daily, 400 lbs of shrimp, 10 gallons of mayonnaise, 1500 sandwiches, 400 lbs of pasta,
2300 lbs of potatoes, 2300 lbs of vegetables and 550 gallons of soup. As far as staffing goes 515 kitchen staff work under a variety of managers and all co-ordinated by an executive chef. Buon Appetito
The creations are excellent. Pictured here as well is one of Louise's favourites. It is a flower arrangement made out of all kinds of fruits and vegetables. And then there are the ice carvings as well which are impressive.
Princess Cruise Lines and the Diamond Princess are just first class. You really want for nothing on board and they have all kinds of staff including a doctor and small infirmary on board.
If we are able to do another cruise I would most certainly book Princess Cruise Lines as everything about them was first class.

Days Six & Seven - July 28 & 29th - Our Alaskan Cruise

For the next couple of days we are at sea as our Alaskan cruise begins to wind down. I really enjoy the stops we make in the various ports but we won't being doing that for a couple of days when our cruise actually winds up at Whittier.
For the next two days we will be enjoying the glaciers.
First we head into Glacier Bay where we are fortunate enough to take in the calving of several glaciers. It is impressive as the Captain has us close enough we can hear the loud cracking sound and then watch the ice cascade down into the sea.
So many people up on deck watching that it is difficult to be in a position to photograph the calving but you get what you can.
In 1794 Captain George Vancouver described Glacier Bay as being "a sheet of ice as far as the eye can distinguish". Now all these hundreds of years later it is still pretty much the same. There are actually seven glaciers in Glacier Bay including the most famous one, Margerie Glacier.
The next day, July 29th is also a day of glacier sight seeing. We sail into College Fjord where there are five large glaciers and dozens of smaller ones. Some of them are a mile and a half or more across. Huge and impressive. Most of the glaciers are named after renowned Eastern USA colleges. Women's colleges are on the north west side and mens colleges are on the South east side.
Very interesting day and some impressive scenery. In addition to the glaciers along some of the shores we pass there is very rugged timber country and we manage to catch the sight of a brown bear. He is some distance away but still it was nice to
catch a glimpse of him as he slowly, and I mean slowly, meandered down the shore line.
After a day of glacier watching it is again time for the supper hour. More of those fantastic meals with fabulous desserts.
In the evening we again attend the Princess Theatre. I have been looking forward to this presentation all week and it does not
disappoint. The Princess Theatre Singers and Dancers put on the musical "The Piano Man" and it is fantastic. They feature musical selections from Neil Sedaka, Barry Manilou and the Piano Man, Elton John. It is excellent and a nice way to end a great day.

It's Desolate At The Top

Climbing over 3000 feet and covering about twenty miles we emerge at the top of the mountain. At one point we actually cross over into Canada. Very rugged at the top but with it's own kind of beauty.

Day Five - July 27/11 - Our Alaska Cruise

Today we arrive in Skagway, Alaska. Have booked an afternoon tour on the White Pass Railway. Every one has said the rail tour is one of those can't miss tours so really looking forward to that. On the railway you climb to an altitude of 3000 feet and we're told the views are breath taking.
In the morning we tour the town of Skagway. Not a very big place but really pretty. One of the many gold rush towns that popped up during the Klondike era. Now it is a real tourist attraction and a must stop for all of the cruise ships.
In the afternoon it is time to board the train for the White Pass rail way tour. This is another one of those tours where I shot so many pictures it is hard to narrow it down to a few to post on a web site. It really was worth the trip as the train winds around some pretty high elevations. We even cross over into Canada as the five pictured flags will attest. Some breath taking scenery and some real high points where you can look straight down as the train proceeds. Really glad we booked this excursion as the scenery is breathtaking.

Day Four - July 26th - Alaskan Cruise

Today we arrive in Juneau, the capital city of Alaska. One of the huge attractions at Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier. It is twelve miles long and is actually one of thirty eight glaciers that flow from the Juneau Icefield. it is raining in Juneau when we arrive but not enough to spoil anything. We have a whale watching excursion booked for the afternoon so a little bit of rain will not discourage us and hopefully not the whales.
The morning we spend some time just walking around Juneau taking pictures and taking in the sights. Then it is time for the whale watching excursion which turns out to be more exciting and successful that we could have ever hoped for. Louise and I arrived at the boat that was to take us out a bit early and were allowed to go on board. As we were settling into our seats, two male killer whales came into the port and right along side our boat. I was able to get a really good picture of them. The naturalist on board said it was a one in a million shot as beluga or killer whales rarely came close enough to be photographed. Most people who get a picture of them have these long canon like attachments on their camera and get a picture that way. Well i had my little Canon Sure Shot digital camera and was able to get a picture of them very close up.
The crew of the boat were just fantastic. They seemed to know how to find the whales as we also viewed a very large pod of hump back whales and got some good photographs of them as well. Then they took us to an island where there were masses of sea lions just sunning themselves on the rocks. All in all it was a very successful whale watching expedition and well worth the money.
In the evening we had another one of those wonderful meals they serve on board and then closed out our day by attending the
Princess Theatre and taking in another comedian, this time a fellow named Don Friesen who was very good.
Tomorrow we have booked an excursion on the White Pass Railway. People have told us that the railway tour is a "can't miss" when you are visiting Alaska so looking forward to that as well.

Day Three - July 25th/11 - Alaskan Cruise

Today we wake up in Ketchikan, Alaska. Ketchikan is billed most importantly as the salmon capital of the world. The city is about seven miles long but only about a half mile wide. It is a very pretty little place. We didn't book any off ship excursions today so we are just walking about the town taking in the shopping and the other various attractions. We walk a trail that takes us to a salmon factory so we tour that and listen to the presentations that are given there. Then we go to a gallery that is featuring totem poles some of them originals from the 1800's and also take in a wildlife sanctuary. They have a couple of bald eagles in there but they are pretty laid back and don't pay much attention to us. Ketchikan's population now is about 13,000 and today they are pretty dependent on the tourism industry. Ketchikan is known as "The First City" as it is the first stop that cruise ships make on their way north. Today in Ketchikan there are a couple of cruise ships in dock. There can be as many as
five. With each of these large ships carrying from two to three thousand passengers, can you imagine ten thousand customers
suddenly in your shop. The cash registers must be ringing,
After our time in Ketchikan it is time to board the ship and continue on. Next stop is Juneau where we have booked a whale watching expedition.
When we get back to the ship we take in a Ballroom dancing class. Kind of tough learning the moves and the steps and the half hour class goes by pretty quickly. Then it is tine for supper and more of those great meals before relaxing for the evening.