In a statement released on Wednesday, John Deere says it plans on shutting down two plants in Iowa with one of them being the factory in Ottumwa.
The company says due to changes in customer demand and available manufacturing capacities, Windrower production will move from the Ottumwa Works site to the Des Moines facility by the end of the 2027 fiscal year. Following that, round baler production will move to Des Moines during the 2028 fiscal year. Deere says the Ottumwa plant will close after this transition.
John Deere says it will engage with employees, union representatives, community stakeholders, and others to try to find the best future use for the factory site. Deere also plans on shutting down its plant in Clarinda.
John Deere states the closures are “designed to further strengthen the long-term competitiveness of John Deere’s manufacturing network and allow Deere to continue investing in American factories, advanced technologies, and its workforce—helping preserve U.S. manufacturing jobs while creating opportunities for future growth and innovation.”
John Deere has had a presence in Ottumwa since 1911 when it purchased the current Ottumwa Works site from Dain Manufacturing, making it Deere’s first manufacturing site in Iowa.
