John Deere, founded in 1837, is best known for manufacturing heavy machinery for agriculture, construction and forestry. The company has evolved from manufacturing steel plows to selling smart farming systems and breaking ground on the development of fully autonomous tractors.

While the term 5G has for years been familiar to anyone that uses smartphones, tablets and other consumer electronics, 5G technology is still finding its place in the manufacturing world. At its Waterloo Works plant in Waterloo, Iowa, John Deere has set a gold standard for how manufacturers can harvest the potential of private cellular networks to enhance manufacturing.

The highly networked plant generates millions of data points every day, from registering the position of tools on the shop floor and recording their performance, to analyzing product test results and recording safety step compliance for automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

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Originally published April 16, 2025 by Industry Week