2008 News Releases and Information

MOLINE, Illinois. (August 1, 2008) — The John Deere 313 takes on the competition again in a two-part test of sheer muscle power and hill climbing ability in the latest battle on Deere's Skid Steer Smackdown Web site.

"Double Trouble," the fifth battle in the series at www.skidsteersmackdown.com, pits the small-frame Deere 313 against a competitor's machine. Click on "The Battles" link on the site to see the outcome.

And while the newcomer to Deere's fleet of skid steers is small, with an operating capacity of 1,300 lbs., it's big on strength and stability. The 313 and a similarly sized competitor machine each push three massive, one-ton concrete blocks and face a series of three-foot moguls, as well as Mount Skidmore — a tough-to-climb five-foot berm.

"Power and stability are the keys to getting to the finish line," said Sam Norwood, manager, John Deere Commercial Worksite Products. "I was proud to see our 313 skid steer go toe-to-toe in strength, but the overall balance of our machine over uneven ground was the key to victory here."

The John Deere 313 and its closest relative, the 315 skid steer, made their debut last fall. The additions to the skid steer family give Deere customers two small-frame options for their fleets.

The John Deere Construction & Forestry Web site www.skidsteersmackdown.com, is part of the company’s integrated promotional campaign for equipment users that involves unique head-to-head contests between Deere and competitor machines.

John Deere (Deere & Company - NYSE: DE) is the world's leading provider of advanced products and services for agriculture and forestry and a major provider of advanced products and services for construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. John Deere also provides financial services worldwide and manufactures and markets engines used in heavy equipment. Since it was founded in 1837, the company has extended its heritage of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation around the globe.