John Deere Construction entered the Southern African market in March 2021. Over the past 20 months, a lot has happened in the yellow equipment space.

John Deere Financial announced in March 2022 that it had extended its portfolio to include construction and mining machines. Its objective is to support businesses to benefit from tailor-made asset finance, which will save money in the process. 

In the hard metal section, the company has extended its range of backhoe loaders, while on the production class machinery it has added bigger wheel loaders and a Dozer. It also launched the 40-t 460E-II Articulated Dump Truck (ADT) in July this year.

Having started manufacturing crawler dozers in 1946, John Deere continues to innovate by including features that help keep operating costs low and productivity high. It also prioritises operator experience and ease of use to minimise fatigue. The company’s crawler dozers, wheel loaders, excavators, backhoe loaders, motor graders and skid steers are enabled with key features such as:

1. Power Tech Engines™ - Standard Eco Mode™ burns up to 20% less fuel than conventional torque-converter transmissions. Auto-Idle™ automatically reduces engine speed when hydraulics are not in use, saving fuel.

2. PowerShift Plus™ Transmission - Provides smooth, on-the-go clutchless gear changes for the operator. AutoShift™ automatically shifts the PowerShift transmission to the appropriate gear. 

3. Dual-path Hydrostatic Transmission (HST) - Allows you to push a full load through turns without losing material, unlike torque-converter transmissions. 

4. Durable Undercarriage - Both extended life and heavy-duty undercarriages with sealed and lubricated track (SALT) have an oval-track design with only one wear causing forward-travel flex point, for longer life. 

5. Enhanced Blade options - Power Angle Tilt (PAT) blades, standard spill sheets and low effort blade controls allow the operator to predict responses with smooth starts and directional changes. 

6. Comfortable Cabs - Optimised legroom, automatic temperature control (ATC), touch screen monitors with key diagnostic reports, adjustable seat settings and maximum visibility, radio and USB charging port. 

“We have a deep-rooted presence in Africa in the agriculture market, and we know construction customers in these markets are eager for access to the John Deere brand and its many advantages,” said John Deere Construction & Forestry Africa and Middle East Sales Manager Griffiths Makgate. 

“Our customers in these markets also have access to product support through the world-renowned John Deere dealer network including Senwes, AFGRI Equipment, Operations, Mascor and Tata International. Customers will also have access to the John Deere suite of technology solutions, including JDLink™ Telematics, which provides valuable fleet insights on the job site,” he concludes.