By Ken Fletcher

THE strong current market and potential for its Gator UTV range has seen John Deere announce the first major expansion in 30 years for its Horicon Works factory, in Wisconsin, US.

This will see a new state-of-the-art plant for manufacturing the company’s popular Gators, adding 80 new jobs, and bringing the total workforce to 1100 employees during peak season.

Previously, there were two factory operations working on Gators and this move now brings both assembly and shipping operations to Horicon. Production began in December and the full move is scheduled for completion by March, this year.

The facility dates back to 1911 when Deere bought the factory from Van Brunt Manufacturing, a maker of horse-drawn grain drills and other farm machinery. Original buildings at the site, located in downtown Horicon, were built in 1865.

Over the past century, it has manufactured a broad range of farm and recreational equipment, including bicycles and snowmobiles. In 1963, the first lawn and garden tractor was also built there.

Today, in addition to the Gators, Horicon makes lawn tractors including the X300, X500 Select and X700 Ultimate Series, and a wide range of attachments such as snow blowers, rotary mower decks and blades.