Liebherr and John Deere Update Agreement

Liebherr Construction Equipment Co. and John Deere have jointly announced the signing of a long-term sourcing agreement for Deere-branded 950- and 1050-size crawler dozers, and the discontinuation of the existing product supply arrangement for crawler loader machines between Liebherr-Werk Telfs GMBH and John Deere’s Construction & Forestry Division of Moline, Ill.

Under the original agreement signed in December 2000, Liebherr has supplied large crawler dozers and crawler loaders to John Deere for distribution in the United States and Canada. The companies have agreed that effective January 2010, John Deere’s Construction & Forestry Division will design and manufacture the 605, 655 and 755 crawler loader models in its Dubuque, Iowa, factory and will continue to distribute its own line of crawler loaders models into the U.S. and Canadian market.

“This amended agreement provides a long-term commitment to the alliance with Deere for large crawler dozers,” says Duane Wilder, president of Liebherr Construction Equipment Co. “Liebherr will continue to manufacture our current line of crawler loaders with marketing in North America and worldwide exclusively under the Liebherr brand.”

“We are very pleased with this arrangement,” says Domenic Ruccolo, John Deere’s senior vice president, worldwide construction & forestry sales and marketing. “These changes will build on our relationship and alliance with our partner Liebherr. Maintaining continuity of supply for our large crawler dozers is very important to our large earthmoving and road building customers. By producing crawler loaders in the U.S. we will be able to share existing components, increase manufacturing utilization and provide product differentiation, while maintaining service and support to North American customers.”