John Deere will invest about $70 million to build a new 380,000-square-foot factory in Kernersville, an expansion of its John Deere Kernersville campus. The factory will produce small, 6-10 metric ton, excavators and is expected to add about 150 new jobs. Currently, about 600 salaried and production employees work at the Kernersville campus.
“Kernersville has been an ideal location for John Deere for more than 35 years,” says Steve Brewer, General Manager, John Deere Kernersville. “We are excited to further invest in our future generation excavator portfolio and grow our engaged team.”
The company’s history of building excavators in Kernersville is supported by the city’s proximity to key markets and strong infrastructure with excellent connectivity to highways, seaports, and airports. With 50% of the North American small excavator industry located in the Southern US, Kernersville offers close proximity to customers and key suppliers.
“We are excited about Deere and Company’s commitment to Kernersville,” says Mark Owens, President and CEO of Greater Winston-Salen, Inc. “With a strong talent pipeline and large industry presence in advanced manufacturing in this area, we hope it is an easy decision for companies like John Deere to continue to locate and grow here.”
Construction of the new Deere factory is expected to begin in late 2024.
“John Deere is an outstanding employer in Forsyth County, and we are happy to support increased operations at this location. The investment and new jobs generated by the project will benefit the County significantly and continue the momentum of our manufacturing industry growth.” says Don Martin, Chair of the Forsyth County Commissioners.