Louisiana Governor Announces John Deere Expansion to Manufacture Models Currently Made in China

Louisiana — The Louisiana Office of the Governor announced on October 11, 2022, that Deere & Company, the global firm that makes the famed John Deere brand of agriculture, construction, and forestry equipment, will invest $29.8 million to expand operations at its Thibodaux site. The company will generate 70 new direct employment positions with an average annual pay of $47,472 and keep 311 existing employees in Louisiana, including 284 in Lafourche Parish. According to Louisiana Economic Development, the project will create 110 new indirect jobs, for a total of 180 new jobs in the Bayou Region.

The announcement comes on the heels of Louisiana’s commemoration of Manufacturing Week, the 11th annual worldwide celebration of the sector’s continuous growth and the professional opportunities it provides.

“This investment by Deere & Company demonstrates not only the strength of Louisiana’s manufacturing sector, but the resilience and recovery of the Bayou Region,” Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said. “Manufacturing has long played a vital role in Louisiana’s economy and never more so than today, supporting more than 178,000 Louisiana workers and their families through ongoing investments in every region of the state. Thanks to Deere & Company for its commitment to Lafourche Parish, and congratulations to the skilled workers whose dedication convinced this global manufacturer to expand its footprint in our state.”

The expansion will include the creation and installation of a new production line as well as enhanced equipment, allowing the Thibodaux facility to begin producing medium-chassis cotton harvesting models to replace current models now made in China.

“The new cotton harvesters present a huge opportunity for John Deere Thibodaux to deliver innovative and technologically advanced solutions to our customers, which will increase their productivity and profitability,” said Mike Duplantis, factory manager at John Deere Thibodaux. “This expansion is possible due to the tremendous amount of hard work and resiliency of the Thibodaux team.”

The Thibodaux location is currently a design center for sugar harvesting and earthmoving scraper equipment, as well as a manufacturing plant for a variety of agricultural and construction products. The business anticipates that the manufacture of the new cotton harvesters will commence within the next two years, with full capacity reached by 2025.

“John Deere’s expansion is a huge win for Lafourche Parish,” Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson said. “The addition of new manufacturing lines to John Deere Thibodaux shows how productive and efficient this facility is, which is a testament to the local workforce and management. The Thibodaux facility’s successful competition for these new cotton harvesters shows just how competitive Lafourche Parish can be.”

To secure the Thibodaux project, the state provided Deere with a competitive incentive package that included a performance-based retention and modernization grant of up to $1 million, as well as the services of LED FastStart, Louisiana’s nationally recognized recruitment, customized training, and workforce development program. In addition, the company is scheduled to take part in the Industrial Tax Exemption and Enterprise Zone programs.

“It’s always exciting for our community to experience new high-paying employment opportunities and a positive stimulus to our local economy,” Thibodaux, Louisiana Mayor Tommy Eschete said. “John Deere Thibodaux once again illustrates its history as an outstanding corporate citizen by diversifying its production capabilities so as to remain a viable manufacturing business in the Bayou Region.”