GREENVILLE, S.C., March 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Michelin has earned multiple prestigious recognitions from Deere & Company (NYSE: DE), the U.S. heavy-equipment manufacturer based in Moline, Ill., for its products and support that the tire maker's operating units have delivered globally across various John Deere equipment segments.
The Michelin Group's Agricultural and Earthmover operating units were named "Supplier of the Year" as well as a Partner-level supplier for 2014. Partner-level supplier is Deere's highest rating for suppliers under its ongoing "Achieving Excellence" initiative.
Under Deere's Achieving Excellence program, participating suppliers are evaluated annually in key performance categories such as quality, cost management, delivery, technical support and "wavelength," which measures responsiveness. Deere created the program in 1991 to provide suppliers with evaluations and feedback that promote continuous improvement.
Additionally, Michelin Tweel Technologies received the John Deere "Innovation of the Year Award" for the MICHELIN® X® TWEEL® TURF™. The award is presented to a select group of suppliers that have demonstrated innovation in a product or service they provide to John Deere. Award selections are based on four factors: creativity, feasibility, collaboration and bottom-line impact. John Deere created the supplier innovation awards in 2010 to promote innovation in the company's supply base and recognize suppliers that think creatively. In 2014, Michelin announced an exclusive partnership with John Deere to equip its ZTRAK™ 900 Series line-up of zero-turn commercial mowers with the ground-breaking MICHELIN® X® TWEEL® TURF™ as original equipment to replace a standard 24x12x12 tire.
Emmanuel Ladent, group director of Michelin's agriculture tire division, accepted the Supplier of the Year Award on Michelin Group's behalf during a ceremony hosted by Deere in Bettendorf, Iowa. Michelin also was represented by members from its teams in Agriculture, Earthmover and Tweel Technologies divisions. "Our business teams have worked very hard indeed to establish a spirit of mutual partnership with our associates at John Deere, which has resulted in a strong and growing relationship between our companies," said Emmanuel Ladent.
"We are pleased to accept this honor and looking forward to the journey ahead with John Deere," said Pete Selleck, chairman and president of Michelin North America, based in Greenville, S.C.
Michelin delivers products to multiple Deere manufacturing sites globally: Davenport, Iowa; Thibodaux, Louisiana; Waterloo, Iowa; East Moline, Ill.; Des Moines, Iowa; Augusta, Ga.; Fuquay-Varina, N.C.; Valley City, N.D.; Dubuque, Iowa; Horst, The Netherlands; Mannheim, Germany; Indaiatuba, Brazil; and Zweibrucken, Germany.
About Michelin North America
Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelinman.com) employs more than 22,750 and operates 20 major manufacturing plants.
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SOURCE Michelin
