Deere & Company has signed an agreement to acquire the Wirtgen Group, the leading manufacturer worldwide of road construction equipment, in a transaction valued at around €4.6 billion. Complementary Deere’s existing product portfolio of construction equipment, the deal establishes the company as an industry leader in global road construction. Headquartered in Germany, and with around 8,000 employees, the Wirtgen Group sells its products in more than 100 countries, and had 2016 sales of €2.6 billion. “The acquisition aligns with our long-term strategy to expand in both of John Deere’s global growth businesses of agriculture and construction,” said Deere & Company chairman and CEO Samuel R. Allen. The transaction is expected to be concluded during the first quarter of 2018.