Deere & Co. has acquired San Diego-based T-Systems International Inc., a major maker of plastic drip tape and hose primarily for the agricultural market.
``The addition of T-Systems expands John Deere Water Technologies' manufacturing footprint to three countries,'' Michael McGrady, president of the Deere unit in San Marcos, Calif., said in a May 29 news release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Davies Allport founded T-Systems in 1977. Now, the firm employs 400 and has plants in San Diego; Brendale, Australia; and Lespinasse, France. T-Systems established an Australia presence in 1984 and set up the Europe operation in 1987.
Under the T-Tape brand, T-Systems makes five sizes of irrigation drip tape, high-, medium- and low-pressure lay-flat water-discharge hose; fittings of ultraviolet-light-stabilized resins; and diaphragm-actuated and hydraulic valves. The high-pressure lay-flat hose has a polyester yarn spiral wrap and homogeneous PVC tube and cover. The low-pressure lay-flat product has three layers of polyethylene yarn.
T-Systems' CropSense sensor line monitors soil moisture, fertigation and crop nutrition.
In 2006, Deere bought Roberts Irrigation Products Inc. in San Marcos, an injection molder and film and tube extruder of PE, and a core of John Deere Water Technologies in its agriculture segment.
Separately, Deere's commercial and consumer business segment sells landscape and golf course irrigation systems and equipment. Moline, Ill.-based Deere reported profit of $1.82 billion on sales of $24.1 billion for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31.