Worthington Steel Earns John Deere’s Highest Supplier Rating for 13th Consecutive Year
Worthington Steel, Inc. (NYSE: WS) proudly announced today that it has been once again recognized as a Partner-level supplier in John Deere's Achieving Excellence Program, marking the 13th consecutive year that the company has earned this prestigious honor. The Partner-level status is the highest supplier recognition awarded by Deere & Company, granted to those suppliers that consistently demonstrate outstanding quality, exceptional service, and an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.
Geoff Gilmore, president and CEO of Worthington Steel, expressed his pride in this achievement: "Our 13-year streak as a Partner-level supplier reflects the strength and dedication of our team. We take great pride in delivering innovative steel solutions that help drive John Deere’s success, and we remain focused on raising the bar even higher."
The esteemed recognition will be officially presented to the Worthington Steel team at John Deere's annual award ceremony held in East Moline, Illinois. Worthington Steel’s dedicated John Deere account team will be present to accept the award.
Key Supplier to John Deere's Manufacturing Operations
Worthington Steel has been a vital supplier of hot-rolled and cold-rolled cut-to-length steel sheets to several of John Deere’s key production plants: John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline, Illinois; John Deere Ottumwa Works in Ottumwa, Iowa; and John Deere Horicon Works in Horicon, Wisconsin. These plants are responsible for manufacturing high-performance machinery, such as combine harvesters, hay and forage equipment, and utility vehicles.
Worthington Steel’s role in providing high-quality steel components directly supports John Deere's operations, ensuring that their products meet the rigorous demands of agriculture and utility industries worldwide.
The Achieving Excellence Program
John Deere’s Achieving Excellence Program evaluates its suppliers each year on multiple performance categories. These include:
• Quality: Suppliers must maintain high-quality standards and deliver defect-free products.
• Delivery: On-time delivery is a crucial factor in maintaining manufacturing schedules.
• Process Alignment: Suppliers must demonstrate efficient and reliable manufacturing processes.
• Relationship: Strong, cooperative relationships with John Deere are key to mutual success.
• Value Creation: Suppliers should continuously seek innovative ways to add value to the business.
Worthington Steel’s recognition for 13 consecutive years underscores its commitment to these categories, making the company a standout partner for John Deere. Additionally, Worthington Steel’s history with John Deere includes being awarded Supplier of the Year in 2007 and 2015, receiving a Supplier Innovation award in 2015, and being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016 and 2021 for maintaining back-to-back Partner-level ratings for five consecutive years.
Key Takeaways:
• Worthington Steel has earned Partner-level supplier status from John Deere for the 13th year in a row, marking a remarkable streak of excellence.
• The Partner-level status is John Deere’s highest supplier rating, awarded to companies that demonstrate exceptional quality, service, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Worthington Steel supplies hot-rolled and cold-rolled cut-to-length steel sheets to key John Deere facilities in East Moline, Ottumwa, and Horicon, supporting the production of critical agricultural and utility equipment.
• John Deere’s Achieving Excellence Program evaluates suppliers on quality, delivery, process alignment, relationship, and value creation.
• Worthington Steel has previously earned Supplier of the Year awards (2007, 2015) and received a Supplier Innovation award in 2015.
• In 2016 and 2021, Worthington Steel was inducted into the John Deere Hall of Fame for maintaining back-to-back Partner-level ratings over five consecutive years.
