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What John Deere Horicon Works makes
Horicon Works spans two campuses, West Campus and Downtown. Deere identifies it as the company’s only facility producing Gator utility vehicles, walk-behind greens mowers, and X300, 500, 700, and 900 series lawn tractors. The plant also makes components and attachments used by other Deere products and factories. John Deere’s factory profile describes its current products and operations.
Deere’s 2025 account also lists riding lawn equipment, Gator vehicles, walk-behind greens mowers, attachments, and components for other facilities among Horicon’s ongoing work. The factory profile and company publications provide the account below; it is a description of Deere-reported processes, not an independently observed factory tour.
How the factory’s work is organized
The profile describes several manufacturing capabilities. It does not establish that every product passes through every area, or that the areas operate in a single fixed sequence.
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Stamping
Deere lists 24 presses, with capacities ranging from 40 to 2,000 tons, alongside lasers and press brakes. The equipment inventory includes six mechanical presses, seven hydraulic presses, six servo presses, five press brakes, and four lasers.
Machining and welding
For its golf-cutting business, Deere says Horicon has weld, heat-treat, machining, and assembly capabilities. The company reports that 40% of that business supports its service-parts organization; that percentage applies to the golf-cutting business described in the factory profile, not necessarily to the whole plant.
Rank #2
- Authentic John Deere Design – Officially licensed 1:32 scale replica of the John Deere 4240 tractor, built for collectors and farm toy enthusiasts.
- Durable Die-Cast Build – Constructed with a die-cast body and sturdy plastic parts for lasting durability and realistic detail.
- Steerable Wide Front Axle – Front wheels are steerable, providing interactive play and realistic tractor maneuvering.
- 2WD Drivetrain with Front Weights – Features a 2-wheel drive configuration and front weights for added authenticity.
- Detailed Cab Interior – Clear cab windows reveal a highly detailed interior, true to the real John Deere 4240 design.
Horicon welders supply weldments, painted components, and complete assemblies to seven other Deere factories, according to the company profile.
Assembly
West Campus has two utility-vehicle assembly lines: G20 for work-series vehicles and G10 for mid- and full-size vehicles. Downtown has three main assembly areas—for riding lawn tractors, riding-lawn-tractor attachments, and golf cutting units.
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Rank #3
- Authentic Die-Cast Construction – Built with durable die-cast metal for lasting play and display.
- Classic 1/16 Scale Model – Realistic replica of the John Deere 330 Utility Tractor in a collectible size.
- Detailed Design – Configured with a wide front axle and single rear wheels for true-to-life accuracy.
- Great for Kids & Collectors – Suitable for imaginative farm play or as a high-quality addition to any John Deere collection.
- Recommended Age – Designed for children ages 3 and up.
Paint
Deere describes a fully automated paint system using robotic powder application and more than eight miles of conveyor. The profile does not provide comparable measures for ranking paint against other stages by speed, efficiency, or importance.
How the Horicon operation developed
The site began as a Horicon facility established by George and Daniel Van Brunt in 1861 to make horse-drawn grain drills. John Deere purchased the facility from VanBrunt Manufacturing in 1911, and it took the name John Deere Horicon Works in 1958, according to the factory profile. Deere’s 2025 company history also dates its acquisition of the Van Brunt Company to 1911. The Furrow’s 2025 history offers additional context.
Rank #4
- Designed for Play
- Featuring die-cast hood, grille, body and heavy duty rear fenders.
- The soft feel front and rear tires are mounted on plastic wheels
- The rear hitch allows most 1:16 implements to be attached.
Lawn and garden tractor production began at Horicon in 1963. Deere’s 2023 account identifies the Model 110 as the first residential lawn equipment made there. Utility-vehicle production followed in 2004. In 2021, Horicon produced its 1,000,000th Gator, a milestone reported on Deere’s current factory profile. Deere’s 2023 article on 60 years of lawn equipment production includes a comment from Eric Halfman, the company’s go-to-market manager: “In fact, we know there are customers still mowing their lawns today with Model 110 mowers built in 1963.” That is Deere’s statement about those machines, not independent verification.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How large is Horicon Works?
Deere’s June 1, 2025 Furrow article puts the combined manufacturing space across the two campuses at about 1.5 million square feet and the workforce at about 1,000 employees. Deere’s current factory profile also describes the workforce as approximately 1,000. These are company-published approximate figures, not independent measurements.
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The profile’s other measures offer a sense of the plant’s scale: 24 stamping presses and more than eight miles of conveyor in the paint system. Deere’s 2025 article calls Horicon a major employer in a town of just over 3,000 people; both town and workforce figures are approximate company-published context.
Deere says Horicon has adopted lean manufacturing principles to optimize processes, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. The company does not give quantified facility-level savings, so the claim does not establish a specific reduction in cost, time, or waste.
Can you tour John Deere Horicon Works?
Not as a member of the general public: Deere’s official Horicon tour listing says general public tours are no longer offered. The official Horicon Works tour page says eligible customer tours must be requested through a dealer representative or current John Deere employee and include a business case. It lists customers, dealers, suppliers, employees, business partners, government officials, and learning institutions as eligible for standard guided tours.
According to the posted listing, tours are free, last about one hour, and are limited to groups of ten. Requests require at least 72 hours’ advance notice; a request is not scheduled until a tour representative confirms it, and scheduling is first-come, first-served. Participants must be at least 13 and wear long pants and closed-toe, closed-heel shoes. Because access and booking terms can change, check Deere’s tour page before making plans.
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