John Deere named one of Time Magazine's America’s Most Iconic Companies
In 2026, America celebrates its 250th birthday. Within those years, the country has built a legacy as an incubator of globally relevant companies and brands, and an economic powerhouse. To paint a picture of that business legacy, TIME and Statista conducted a nationally representative survey of U.S. residents to rank the 250 American companies that are not only commercially successful, but have played a vital role in shaping culture and society. The list shows a comprehensive landscape of companies founded just 30 years after the country itself (Colgate-Palmolive in 1806) as well as 21st century entrants (OpenAI in 2015), many of which are already internationally recognized.
January 8, 2026 (NEW YORK, NY) –As times change and companies globalize, the challenge many legacy brands face is having to strike a balance between staying true to their American roots and adapting to the shifting needs of the market. Many American companies moved their manufacturing overseas in the late 1900s to save costs, although in the last 10 years, some companies have started to bring production back stateside, and tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are encouraging a wave of big companies to reinvest in domestic manufacturing. John Deere (no. 55), one of the oldest companies on the list, has maintained a manufacturing stronghold in America—more than 75% of all products sold in the U.S. are assembled at domestic manufacturing facilities, where local farmers can come in and provide feedback.
“Since 1837 when we got our start, we've been defined by one mission: really supporting the people who provide all the food, fuel, fiber and infrastructure that we all rely on, and that's farmers and contractors across America,” says Mara Downing, Vice President of global brand management and corporate communications at John Deere. “We're really proud to have helped build America over the past two centuries, and we look forward to continuing to invest in our presence in America.” In early 2025, John Deere announced that it would soon introduce an electric lineup of agriculture tractors.
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Originally published by Time Magazine in January 2026.