Premises Description

Deere & Company (John Deere — founded 1837, headquartered Moline Illinois) was through the 20th century and remains today the dominant U.S. manufacturer of tractors, combines, harvesters, and agricultural and construction equipment. John Deere operated through the asbestos era an extensive network of U.S. plants in the Quad Cities region of Illinois and Iowa and adjacent Midwest manufacturing centers, including:

  • John Deere Harvester Works (East Moline IL) — combine and harvester production
  • John Deere Plow Works / Moline Wagon Works (Moline IL) — historic plow plant
  • John Deere Tractor Works (Waterloo IA) — tractor production (Waterloo Boy heritage)
  • John Deere Foundry (Waterloo IA) — engine block and tractor castings
  • John Deere Engine Works (Waterloo IA) — diesel engine production
  • John Deere Dubuque Works (Dubuque IA) — utility and industrial tractors
  • John Deere Des Moines Works (Des Moines IA) — cotton pickers and specialty equipment
  • John Deere Davenport Works (Davenport IA) — construction and forestry equipment
  • John Deere Horicon Works (Horicon WI) — lawn and consumer equipment
  • John Deere Ottumwa Works (Ottumwa IA) — hay equipment
  • John Deere Spare Parts and Distribution Centers in the Quad Cities

The Waterloo IA tractor and foundry complex specifically was through the asbestos era one of the most asbestos-intensive industrial sites in Iowa — operating cupola furnaces, electric arc furnaces for engine block casting, high-temperature heat-treat operations, paint-shop drying ovens, and miles of plant steam and process piping all specified with extensive asbestos materials.

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Deere & Company — as premises owner — exposed its UAW (United Auto Workers) workforce and contractor pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, and trade workers to extensive asbestos.

Deere & Company has been named as a Premises Defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation.

Workers Exposed

  • UAW Local members at Moline, East Moline, Waterloo, Dubuque, Davenport, Des Moines, Horicon, and Ottumwa
  • John Deere Waterloo Foundry workers
  • Refinery pipefitters and millwrights working John Deere capital projects
  • Insulators (HFIAW Local members) on John Deere construction and turnaround crews
  • Boilermakers (IBB Local members) building John Deere foundry equipment
  • Construction-trade workforces on John Deere EPC projects

If You Worked at a John Deere Plant

If you worked at a John Deere / Deere & Company tractor plant, foundry, engine plant, or harvester plant during the asbestos era — as a Deere employee or as a dispatched contractor trade worker — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness, you may have legal rights.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956