Tag Archive for: John

John Deere’s futuristic vision

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John Deere’s futuristic vision: John Deere has set out its vision for a more connected, guided and electrified future for greenkeepers as the company prepares to make more ground-breaking technology available to UK golf courses.

Utilising proven JDLink™ technology from John Deere’s agriculture division in tandem with the integration of cloud-based management software and electrified machines, course owners and managers will have the power to create a more efficient and sustainable future.

John Deere's futuristic vision

John Deere’s futuristic vision

At the international turf management exhibition, BTME, in Harrogate this week, John Deere outlined how recent product development and acquisitions had provided the foundations for three new principles for golf course care; Connect, Guide, Manage.

Key to this vision is John Deere’s acquisition of cloud-based golf course management software, OnLink, in 2019 which has been developed and will soon be launched across Europe, starting in the UK.

It allows users to automatically synchronise selected machines working anywhere on the course, managing activity remotely.

The technology delivers integrated labour and fleet management tools. OnEquip provides information on fleet activity such as engine hour tracking and servicing intervals, while OnLabor provides labour tools such as electronic job boards to improve overall management and to track assignments.

OnLink connects to machines using John Deere’s long-established JDLink and the John Deere Operations Center which have been used on the company’s farm machinery for more than 15 years. For greenkeepers, this means connected machines will also provide their real-time location on the course through the OnLink mapping feature.

Data gathered can be used to plan and improve operation efficiency, as each machine’s working hours can be balanced across its life cycle to reduce the cost of ownership. Mowing patterns, reducing the time required to complete work, can also be managed.

The technology provides owners settings for geofences and curfews to send alerts if the machine is working outside of set locations or hours, increasing its security profile.

OnLink offers customers the ability to plan for weather conditions, track the speed of greens, and monitor soil moisture while also creating accurate budget forecasts and use the workboard updates to plan tasks.

OnLink will be available on any internet connected device; desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

The company recently announced the launch of the world’s first fully autonomous tractor in the USA – a statement of innovation which will feed across to the golf business over time, allowing more guided and semi-autonomous operations on the course.

John Deere’s Sales Manager for Turf and Golf, Chris Meacock, said: “At John Deere, we believe the future of golf course maintenance is about connectivity, sustainability, autonomy and intelligence, while embracing electric.

“Our exciting plans for the next few years involve applying our proven technology innovations to all our golf equipment, so that greenkeepers can better plan for weather conditions, forecast accurate budgets and meticulously manage equipment and labour costs.

“The John Deere OnLink golf course management solution will be key for allowing greenkeepers to save valuable time, increase operational efficiency by identifying the problem areas causing delays in task completion, reduce cost of ownership, and provide increased security and peace of mind. I also envisage greenkeeping teams harnessing its data for future decision making and increasing effective communication.”

Electrification

John Deere is also committing to electrify its golf portfolio.

In February the company presented its 185 / 225 E-Cut™ Electric Walk Greens Mowers in the USA for the first time. Powered by 48V Lithium-Ion Battery, the electric mowers produce zero emissions and low sound levels.

John Deere’s journey to electrification, as well as developing battery drive equipment, will emphasise the addition of smart features to make operation easier and more comfortable, putting the decision making into the hand of head greenkeepers so the performance in the field is the same on every area, at every time, independent from the operator.

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Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower

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Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower: When Jack Fairhead heard he’d won a brand new John Deere X127 ride-on mower worth £3500, he couldn’t believe his luck.

With approximately half an acre of garden and lawns to maintain, Jack had previously relied on neighbours to help cut the grass and was considering what type of ride-on mower he could buy when he entered the John Deere competition in the spring.

Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower

Jack Fairhead wins John Deere X127 mower

“I’ve never won anything before, and now I’ve got one of the best mowers on the market,” said Jack. “I’m going to enjoy many seasons of mowing with my new John Deere.”

Jack will now be mowing his lawn in comfort. His John Deere X127 ride-on mower features cruise control as well as a hydrostatic transmission and side-by-side pedals which enable the operator to change direction without raising a foot. The car style dashboard also makes the mower very straightforward to operate.

The mower has been delivered by Shropshire based John Deere dealership Rea Valley Tractors. Dan Brown, RVT Gardening & Groundcare Territory Sales and Paul Roberts, RVT Workshop Manager at RVT Newport depot carried out a professional handover, showing Jack how to gain the optimum use out of the mower for his lawn. Paul also explained how the RVT service team is available to support the lawn mower for any maintenance and servicing requirements.

John Deere Territory Manager Marcus Morris added: “Mr Fairhead is clearly delighted at taking delivery of his new lawn tractor. We’re very pleased that our competition has found such a worthy winner.”

The competition involved visiting the John Deere website www.deere.co.uk and correctly answering questions about the X127 lawn tractor.

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John Deere Suspends shipments to Russia

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John Deere Suspends shipments to Russia: John Deere is deeply saddened by the significant escalation of events in Ukraine. The safety, welfare, and well-being of our employees in the region remain our top priority, and we continue to support and maintain close communication with our affected teams, providing necessary resources when possible.

Our thoughts are with our employees, their families as well as our dealers, customers and all those impacted by this crisis.

John Deere Suspends shipments to Russia

John Deere Suspends shipments to Russia

Two weeks ago, we suspended shipments of machines to Russia and then subsequently, Belarus. We continue to monitor the situation closely while we fully abide by U.S. and international sanctions. The John Deere Foundation has additionally been working directly with a number of organisations, including multiple UN agencies, to mobilise resources to support Ukrainians impacted by the crisis. Our mission is, and always has been, to help our customers feed the world.

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John Deere acquires battery company

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John Deere acquires battery company: Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire majority ownership in Kreisel Electric, Inc. (“Kreisel”), a battery technology provider based in Rainbach im Mühlkreis, Austria.

Kreisel develops high-density, high-durability electric battery modules and packs. Additionally, Kreisel has developed a charging infrastructure platform (CHIMERO) that utilises this patented battery technology.

John Deere acquires battery company

John Deere acquires battery company

Since 2014, Kreisel has been a leading innovator focused on the development of immersion-cooled electric battery modules and packs for high-performance and off-highway applications. The company has a differentiated battery technology and battery-buffered charging infrastructure offering and currently serves a global customer base across multiple end markets, including commercial vehicles, off-highway vehicles, marine, e-motorsports, and other high-performance applications.

John Deere sees demand growing for batteries as a sole or hybrid-propulsion system for vehicles. Products in Deere’s portfolio such as turf equipment, compact utility tractors, small tractors, compact construction, and road-building equipment could rely solely on batteries as a primary power source. Deere intends to continue to invest in and develop technologies to innovate, deliver value to customers, and work towards a future with zero emissions propulsion systems.

The majority investment in Kreisel Electric will allow Deere to vertically integrate vehicle and powertrain designs around high-density battery packs while leveraging Kreisel’s charging technology to build out infrastructure required for customer adoption.

“Kreisel’s battery technology can be applied across the broad portfolio of Deere products, and Kreisel’s in-market experience will benefit Deere as it ramps up its battery-electric vehicle portfolio. Deere will provide the expertise, global footprint, and funding to enable Kreisel to continue its fast growth in core markets,” said Pierre Guyot, Senior Vice President, John Deere Power Systems. “This is an opportunity to invest in a company with unique technology that’s designed for the demanding conditions where Deere customers work.”

“Furthermore, building an electrified portfolio is key to John Deere’s sustainability goal of pursuing new technologies that reduce the environmental impact of new products and work toward zero emissions propulsion systems on equipment, while increasing our customers’ efficiency and productivity,” Guyot said.

Kreisel Electric will retain its employees, brand name, and trademark, and continue to operate from its current location in Austria to serve its growing customer base. The company was founded by the brothers Johann, Markus and Philipp Kreisel and has approximately 160 full-time employees.

“The Kreisel team looks forward to expanding our base business, leveraging the Deere channel to accelerate adoption of battery-electric vehicles and charging stations, and working with Deere’s vehicle design teams on product advancements,” said Markus Kreisel, who serves as Managing Director, along with his two brothers, at Kreisel Electric.

The transaction requires final regulatory approval in Austria, with closing expected to take place in approximately 60 days. Financial details are not being disclosed.

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Karlswood Stables invests in John Deere

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Karlswood Stables invests in John Deere: Based in County Meath in Ireland, the newly built state of the art Karlswood Stables has been a major project for owner and Olympic show jumping medallist Cian O’Connor.

These grand equine facilities extend to 20 stables for his own horses, and another 24 are under construction for others. On top of that the complex boosts its own indoor arena and outdoor grass ring, sand ring, gallops, hacking trails and spa facilities for horses.

Karlswood Stables invests in John Deere

Karlswood Stables invests in John Deere

With the grounds extending to a total area of 68 acres, the Karlswood team required a reliable range of machinery and equipment to maintain the grounds and keep the grass well-trimmed. Being familiar with the benefits of the John Deere brand, Karlswood farm manager Derry McIntyre contacted Noel Bennett of local professional turf dealer Dublin Grass Machinery with a shopping list of the equipment required.

The machinery now supplied includes a new John Deere 4066R compact tractor, 1600T wide area rotary mower, X950R commercial rear-discharge, rear-collect diesel lawn tractor and an electric TE Gator utility vehicle.

Derry explains the purchasing decision by highlighting brand reliability and ease of use. “As this is a brand new complex, we have a lot of lawn and grass areas that have to be kept meticulously presented to maintain the high standards synonymous with Karlswood,” he says. “The self-propelled X950R and 1600T rotary mowers are superb tools to cut the grass around our all-weather arena and lawns.”

Powered by a 66hp diesel engine, the John Deere 4066R compact tractor features a ComfortGard cab and an eHydro three-range automatic transmission with simple to use TwinTouch forward and reverse pedals, plus four-wheel drive as standard.

Derry and his team have already been putting the tractor to good use, and praise its ease of use and versatility. “The 4066R carries out a number of tasks all over the site,” he says.

“For example, we spend around one and a half hours a day raking the arena, and there is a front-mounted mower attachment to provide extra grass cutting help around the hacks and the outside of the farm. We also have a scarifier for maintaining the grass areas, so the tractor has a real multitude of uses.”

As many John Deere Gator operators know, this popular utility vehicle is an extremely useful vehicle to have on any sportsground, farm or woodland. At Karlswood Stables the electric TE Gator is no exception, and has also proved extremely handy.

“The Gator is a fantastic tool to transport various pieces of equipment such as grass strimmers, hedge trimmers and other hand tools to various parts of the farm,” says Derry. “This vehicle makes it easier for us to travel around the site, and with the load bed space on the back to carry materials as well as tools, it is another reliable workhorse here at Karlswood Stables.”

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