The alliance will combine the efforts of Deere’s worldwide commercial and consumer equipment division and Bombardier Recreational Products to develop new products.

"John Deere has an excellent history of engineering products that add to the productivity of our customers," says John Jenkins, president of worldwide commercial and consumer equipment at John Deere. "Pooling our resources with Bombardier strengthens our total investment in research and development."

The first product from this alliance will be a line of John Deere-branded utility vehicles taken from a Bombardier all-terrain vehicle platform. It will be launched initially in Canada and the United States by the end of 2003. Bombardier will manufacture the products at its Valcourt facility.

"Bombardier is very proud of this agreement. It is the recognition, by a highly reputed global leader, such as Deere & Co., of the quality of our products and of our leadership position as an innovator," says José Boisjoli, president of the snowmobiles, watercraft and ATV division of Bombardier Recreational Products.