Manufacturing. Construction. Agriculture. That’s our country’s foundation. You might go to the grocery store and see the food, but do you understand the process? When you think of the process, you might just picture a farm with some animals and grass, but you might not realize the amount of machinery that is needed. When it comes to agricultural machinery, there isn’t a more trusted company than John Deere, and there probably isn’t a more recognizable piece of machinery than that green and yellow lawn mower or tractor you see sitting on that farm that you drive past everyday. That’s just a credit to John Deere’s phenomenal branding skills.
They turned a small blacksmith shop opened 175 years ago by John Deere himself, into a global agricultural machinery powerhouse, by becoming one of the top brands in the world. John Deere specializes in machinery and manufacturing, but they have also excelled in other areas such as various financial services and are known for hosting sporting events such as the PGA’s John Deere Classic. Today, John Deere shows no signs of slowing down, moving up nine spots to number 98 on the 2011 Fortune 500 list, bringing in over $26 billion in revenue. Next time you grab that can of corn at the grocery store, think of the process, the machinery, and the manufacturing involved in bringing that delicious product to your fingertips.