Deere-Hitachi to expand manufacturing capacity in North Carolina

Deere-Hitachi Construction Machinery Corp. has announced it will invest $97 million to expand manufacturing capacity at its Kernersville, N.C., operations. The company currently employs more than 700 full-time employees and expects to add 340 full-time employees over the next four years.

The facility builds several models of midsized excavators sold throughout North, Central, and South America. The expansion will increase capacity on current machine models manufactured in Kernersville and add production capability for additional midsized excavator models.

The company will purchase about 60 acres of land adjacent to its facility, purchase a warehouse that will be expanded for manufacturing and warehouse space, and expand its existing factory with new technology, increasing its manufacturing capacity for excavators by 60 percent.

Deere-Hitachi Construction Machinery Corp. is a 50/50 joint venture between Deere & Co., Moline, Ill., and Hitachi Construction Machinery Corp., Tokyo.