To explore the development trends that will affect industry strategies in 2026, the investment plans of enterprises in production and manufacturing as well as dealer operations, and the impact of the current political environment (from regulatory and policy adjustments to supply chain constraints) on product roadmaps, Equipment World magazine interviewed nearly 12 leading figures in the construction industry. The interviewed experts also discussed cutting-edge technologies such as telematics and automation, as well as the next steps for enterprises in the process of transforming to new energy power. The following is the market layout plan for 2026 by Kevin Crook, the marketing Director of earthmoving machinery in John Deere's Construction and Forestry Division. (Released by Equipment World)
The demand from customers in the North American market remains stable, and the demand in the Australian and South American markets is also on the rise. In addition, John Deere has recently expanded its dealer network in Brazil, further strengthening its global market coverage capabilities and enabling it to better meet the needs of customers around the world.
We always adhere to a customer-centric approach. By listening to customer needs and adopting customer feedback, we continuously optimize equipment and solutions. The John Deere Customer Advisory Group brings together customer representatives from various niche fields and of different scales, providing us with valuable insights throughout the entire product development cycle. This deep collaboration model closely connects us with our customers, helping us create products that truly meet market demands. It is the core strategy for us to develop efficient, practical and intelligent solutions.
Emerging technologies such as automation, electrification, artificial intelligence and smart connectivity play a crucial role in the process of developing new solutions and devices for our customers. We always adhere to clear goals to promote technological decision-making and innovative exploration, and focus on providing technological achievements with practical application value. These solutions are designed to help customers overcome various operational challenges and represent the core R&D direction of John Deere at present and in the future.
At the 2025 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), we launched multiple autonomous driving solutions that can support John Deere's customers in the fields of agriculture, construction and commercial landscape greening. At present, 88% of construction contractors are facing a shortage of skilled workers. The 460 P series of autonomous articulated dump trucks we launched at the exhibition have entered the customer testing stage. This device is equipped with a visual perception kit, which can independently complete repetitive tasks such as material transportation in quarries, optimize each link of the operation process, and enable operators to focus on handling more important work tasks. This is an important step we have taken in the field of autonomous driving. In the future, we will continue to be committed to providing customers with high-end equipment functions that meet their needs.
Over the past few years, we have made significant investments in the research and development of technologies that can enhance the working experience of operators and improve the safety performance of equipment. For instance, loaders equipped with the SmartDetect™ intelligent detection system can identify obstacles on their travel route through cameras and machine learning technology. The operator will receive an audible and visual alarm prompt in the driver's cabin. When people appear near the equipment, the system will also trigger an external alarm to remind the on-site personnel to pay attention to safety. Recently, we have also launched the SmartDetect™ Digital intelligent detection digital system. Through this system, managers can view near real-time early warning information, retrieve video records of near-miss incidents, and at the same time view weekly summary reports and analyze the heat distribution map of the construction site. These tools, specially designed for on-site construction managers, can enhance the transparency of safety control and the efficiency of responsibility implementation at the operation site, ensuring the safety of personnel during operations.
We are well aware that many outstanding talents are seeking to start a new chapter in their careers. By actively carrying out recruitment work, we have launched a diversified talent program to help the company attract and retain outstanding talents.
John Deere has established a veterans recruitment program to provide employment support for active-duty military personnel, veterans, members of the National Guard, reservists, and their spouses and family members, helping them embark on new careers. This plan matches local employment opportunities in various fields for talents based on their past working experience, helping them integrate into civilian workplace life with confidence and providing practical career development paths. This plan has successfully attracted a large number of outstanding talents for us and is an important part of the company's talent recruitment system. In addition, John Deere offers a variety of apprenticeship programs, including collaborations with local high schools to help cultivate the next generation of welders.
How does your company collaborate with the dealer network to ensure the efficient implementation of equipment supply, after-sales service and customer support?
John Deere's dealer network spans the global market, providing customers with the equipment and service support they need to achieve business success. Whether customers are purchasing new equipment, maintaining or replacing equipment parts, or handling equipment financing business, our reliable dealer network can provide comprehensive services throughout the entire life cycle of their equipment.
We are fully confident in the expansion achievements of the digital tool matrix. In 2025, we carried out multi-dimensional upgrades to the John Deere Operations Center platform, with one of the key optimization directions focusing on equipment service and maintenance. The platform has added a drop-down function for the service menu. Customers can quickly view the health status of their equipment fleet and maintenance information through a single convenient entry point. These customized insights generated based on device operation data can help customers make more scientific decisions.
Recently, we have also upgraded the functional modules of the John Deere Operations Center to simplify the daily business management processes for our clients, helping them save time and focus on core operational tasks. The upgrade includes the addition of new e-commerce functions, optimization of customer maintenance monitoring and parts procurement processes, and support for customers to make appointments for equipment maintenance services with John Deere dealers or third-party service providers.
Finally, our device mobile application has added an AI-assisted tool in the digital operation manual, which can help users quickly and accurately query the drawings of device accessories. Nowadays, operators and technicians only need to carry mobile devices with them to easily obtain the information they need.
Kevin Crook: Our goal is to provide customers with diverse choices to meet their current and future operational needs, while ensuring that our products comply with regulatory requirements in global and regional markets. We are not only committed to providing traditional diesel-powered equipment, but also actively developing pure electric, diesel-electric hybrid power equipment, and other alternative fuel power equipment, continuously enriching our product portfolio. In the face of constantly changing market demands, we will always listen to the voices of our customers and provide solutions to help construction sites and operational processes achieve higher sustainability.
Looking beyond the short-term perspective of the next year, what are your outlooks for the global construction equipment market in the next 3 to 5 years?
We are full of confidence and anticipation for the market outlook in the next 3 to 5 years. The overall development trend of the industry is positive. Contractors are engaged in the construction of infrastructure such as roads and Bridges every day, creating important projects that connect people's lives. The volume of pending orders in the hands of customers remains stable, and the market demand space is sufficient.
The shortage of skilled workers will remain the primary challenge for customers. As a group of experienced and highly skilled operators enter the retirement ranks, the gap in technical talents in the industry will further expand. Therefore, the market demand for enhancing the production efficiency of construction sites will continue to grow. At present, customers need to rely on automation solutions more than ever to complete some of their operational tasks, thereby ensuring production efficiency and profitability. With smarter, safer and more sustainable solutions, John Deere will help customers break through the bottleneck of labor shortage, enhance profit levels and build a more competitive operation system for the future.