John Deere announces mass layoffs in Illinois, Iowa as company moves to Mexico

MOLINE, Ill. (WTVO) — The John Deere company announced it will be laying off nearly 600 employees in Illinois and Iowa as it gets ready to move to Mexico.

The tractor and harvester manufacturer said it would be cutting 280 workers from its East Moline plant in Illinois, and 230 employees at a Davenport, Iowa location. Another 100 employees at a Dubuque, Iowa plant will also be cut, according to Fox Business .

Impacted workers have until August 30th, when the layoffs go into effect.

John Deere is an iconic American brand, established in 1837. The company announced it would be moving the production of skid steer loaders and compact track loaders to Mexico by the end of 2026.

According to the company, the decision was made to address the rising cost of manufacturing.

“These changes are being made due to reduced demand for the products produced at these facilities,” a spokesperson said. “As stated in our second quarter earnings call, industry sales are expected to further decline in the back half of FY2024. To better position Deere to meet future demand, we continue to take proactive steps to reduce production and inventory.”

Since October 2023, more than 1,000 workers have been laid off or given early retirement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.