KERNERSVILLE, N.C. — John Deere is making a Triad town its new North American headquarters for battery production, the company announced Monday.
This will be the North American headquarters for John Deere Electric Powertrain, a division of Deere. John Deere will remain headquartered in Moline, Illinois.
The company is investing 69 million in Kernersville as they are also adding new battery production operations and is expected to create 50 jobs in Forsyth County.
"As the demand for electric solutions continues to increase, this strategic investment in growing our production capacity will help strengthen our position as an international battery technology leader. Within the evolving off-highway equipment market, we are prioritizing the development of a robust charging ecosystem and battery portfolio that can support and sustain the long-term adoption of electrification across a wide variety of applications," said Pierre Guyot, Senior Vice President of John Deere Power Systems and Chairman of Kreisel.
Positions include assemblers, material handlers, packagers, and quality inspectors. These new jobs will have the potential to contribute an annual payroll impact of more than $3.3 million to the region.
“John Deere has been a tremendous corporate citizen in Forsyth County,” said N.C. Senator Joyce Krawiec. “Their increased investment in Kernersville validates our 35-year partnership and is a great forecast for the bright future ahead.”
“We are excited to welcome John Deere’s newest venture to America’s best state for business,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “North Carolina’s leadership in manufacturing, innovation, and clean transportation is creating great jobs from global manufacturers like this. With our shared values on sustainability, we look forward to creating a cleaner future together."
John Deere said they have a "rich history in the community of Kernersville that began with the creation of its Kernersville campus in 1988. The town provides access to a diverse pool of technical talent from local trade and academic institutions and is well-connected to infrastructure, including highways, seaports, and airports."
"The addition of this John Deere battery facility aligns with our county's efforts to be a leader in advanced manufacturing throughout the Southeast," said Mark Owens, President and CEO of Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. — an organization promoting business growth and sustainability in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. "We are proud to support employers in this sector as the field develops with new technologies and innovations. In turn, we appreciate the commitment of our existing employers that continue to invest here and grow the workforce. We are excited to welcome Kreisel Electric as they establish their North American headquarters and thank them for choosing Forsyth County."
The new facility will be adjacent to the current John Deere Kernersville Campus at 900 West Mountain Street.
John Deere plans to break ground on the new facility in fall 2023, and production is estimated to begin in 2025.
"Our customers are facing challenges that require their businesses to be more dynamic than ever before — we are engineering the technological innovations they'll rely on to do so," said Jennifer Preston, Global Director of John Deere Electric Powertrain and CEO of Kreisel. "Together with Kreisel, John Deere is expanding its electrification portfolio to include more scalable solutions to meet a wider range of our customer's application needs. This investment is a great step forward as we work toward our goal of demonstrating viable low- and near-zero-carbon power solutions by 2026."
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