Attachments“We build confi­dence in every pass”

Jean-Michel, when farmers look at Arc-Lès-Gray, why should this factory matter to them?

Because what happens here has a direct effect on a farmer’s working day. Across Europe, customers are under pres­sure to produce more, while keeping a tight grip on costs. Our round balers and front loaders are designed to help them do exactly that by working reli­ably and effi­ciently when they are needed most. For us, quality is not a slogan – it is built into every step, from product devel­op­ment to produc­tion plan­ning, field testing through to final assembly. In the end, we are building more than machines; we are building trust.

What rolls off the line here in Arc-Lès-Gray?

Arc-Lès-Gray is home to the produc­tion of M and R Series round balers, including models with inte­grated wrap­ping, as well as the full range of front loaders. We also manu­fac­ture exhaust after-treat­ment systems and front hitches for the John Deere factory in Mannheim and feeder houses for combines built in Zweibrücken. That broad produc­tion base helps us manage the rhythm of the season. Almost 80 percent of our balers, for example, are deliv­ered by mid-April. From November to March, the site is at full capacity, and we bring in about 250 addi­tional employees. Many of them return year after year for six to ten months, and some of them spend the rest of their time working on their own farms.

That gives us some­thing valu­able – people on the line, who not only assemble the machines, but under­stand exactly how they are used once they leave the factory. This is a rural region, so the link between manu­fac­turing and farming is close and tangible – being that close gives us a real advan­tage.

Arc-Lès-Gray is home to the produc­tion of M and R Series round balers, including models with inte­grated wrap­ping, …

… as well as the full range of front loaders.

Many of your employees have first-hand farming expe­ri­ence. How does that shape the way the factory works?

It means we look at produc­tion through the customer’s eyes. Every deci­sion must support the right quality at the right time. If an issue appears in produc­tion, it is addressed imme­di­ately via our Daily Esca­la­tion System. If it cannot be solved at once, it is discussed and esca­lated in a 9:45am meeting. We involve manu­fac­turing, quality assur­ance, produc­tion engi­neering and customer support repre­sen­ta­tives. It may sound straight­for­ward, but it is highly effec­tive; a small issue on the factory floor can become a major problem in the field if it is ignored. Our job is to stop that from happening and to keep improving every single day.

At the same time, we must chal­lenge ourselves constantly. Arc-Lès-Gray is a John Deere factory, but because we supply compo­nents to other Deere sites, we must perform like any outside supplier. On quality, cost and delivery, we must be compet­i­tive every day. There is no special advan­tage simply because we belong to the same company. That pres­sure is demanding, but it also keeps us sharp and pushes us to improve our processes contin­u­ously.

Where do those improve­ments come from, and how do you keep raising the bar?

Invest­ment is one part of this – we continue to bring in state-of-the-art tech­nology. Most recently, we installed a new laser-cutting machine for metal parts. It’s so fast and effi­cient that four machines can now do the work that once required eight, while reducing mate­rial waste. In front loader produc­tion, we have long relied on a fully auto­mated line, where robots weld compo­nents to the same high stan­dard time after time.

We have also devel­oped a painting process that is unique within John Deere in Europe. Compo­nents are coated with elec­tro­sta­t­i­cally charged powder paint and then baked at 200 degrees. The result is a hard-wearing finish built to last, and the unmis­tak­able John Deere green that customers recog­nise.

Compo­nents are coated with elec­tro­sta­t­i­cally charged powder paint and then baked at 200 degrees.

In front loader produc­tion, robots weld compo­nents to the same high stan­dard time after time.

Auto­mated laser cutting machines ensure preci­sion and process repeata­bility …

… and guar­antee maximum mate­rial effi­ciency through opti­mized cutting patterns.

Tech­nology matters, of course. But what role do people play in the Arc-Lès-Gray factory?

A crucial one. Today, I can say with real pride that our internal survey ranked us as the best factory in Europe for employee engage­ment, safety and sustain­ability. But that did not happen overnight – it is the result of a long trans­for­ma­tion that began around 15 years ago.

Fifteen years is a long time. What has changed the most?

In truth, almost every­thing has changed. At the begin­ning, we had two ambi­tions: Try to make the factory more produc­tive and a better place for our employees. Modern machines, automa­tion and new processes were part of that journey, of course, but the real turning point was cultural. The task was to bring people with us, to explain the change and to make colleagues want to be part of it.

For example, we redesigned the assembly line around the Visual Factory concept (an approach which improves commu­ni­ca­tion and processes by using clear visual aids). Storage height is limited, so people can always see each other and speak easily across the line. Floors stay clear, every tool has a defined place, and no one needs to bend unnec­es­sarily or waste time looking for equip­ment. The result is better commu­ni­ca­tion, greater order, more safety and a stronger sense of shared respon­si­bility. For me, that cultural shift has been the most impor­tant change of all. We see it every day – quality is strongest where people are truly engaged in what they do.

You are on the factory floor every day. In those moments, what gives you the greatest sense of pride?

What makes me proud is seeing everyone move in the same direc­tion. Together, we build John Deere machines that customers depend on every day in the field. That trust is some­thing we must earn, machine by machine – and that is exactly what our people do.