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