Another 27 employees laid off at John Deere Dubuque Works are being called back in March to support construction and forestry operations, the Moline-based manufacturer announced today, Feb. 19.
John Deere also said it expects additional callbacks throughout the rest of the fiscal year.
The news followed the company’s release Thursday of its first-quarter earnings report in which it shared that orders for some equipment continue to show strength. The company also raised the projected net income for fiscal year 2026 to be in the range of $4.5 billion to $5 billion.
“While the global large agriculture industry continues to experience challenges, we’re encouraged by the ongoing recovery in demand within both the construction and small agriculture segments,” Chairman and CEO John May said in the earnings release. “These positive developments reinforce our belief that 2026 represents the bottom of the current cycle and provides us with a strong foundation for accelerated growth going forward.”
The latest callbacks bring the total number who have returned since the start of the year to 275, the release said. The recalled workers are all U.S. employees and include those laid off at multiple factories in Iowa.
The workforce callbacks, Deere said, are occurring as customer demand for equipment continues to rise.
“Customer demand has continued to strengthen, driving increased production that makes these callbacks possible,” Alex Fernandez, Dubuque Works factory manager, said in a release. “We’re excited to bring our skilled and experienced employees back to the factory.”
John Deere Dubuque Works has been manufacturing equipment since 1946 and plays a key role in the company’s construction and forestry operations producing a range of equipment, including crawler dozers, skid steers, backhoes, and forestry machines.
Dubuque Works brings engineering, product validation, and manufacturing together on one campus.
Recall details
At Dubuque Works alone, more than 50 employees have been called back this year, including 24 in a larger callback announced Wednesday, Jan. 28.
Here’s some of the recall details shared by Deere:
- Factory needs: Employees will return to Dubuque Works to support general factory needs in fabrication, assembly, and material handling.
- Timeframe: Employees will return to work in March.
- Previously announced callbacks: Davenport Works, another construction equipment facility, also announced in January that it will bring back 75 employees. While Waterloo Operations, which produces agricultural equipment, announced earlier that it is bringing back nearly 150 employees.
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