ESP International Receives Innovation Award from John Deere

ESP International of Cedar Rapids, IA has been honored by receiving the Innovation of the Year Award at the John Deere Achieving Excellence Partner Banquet. The Innovation Award was presented to ESP from the Construction and Forestry Division of John Deere for work on the FLOD (First Line of Defense) split seal design. ESP was also awarded Partner Status with John Deere Power Systems. This is the 10th year and second consecutive year that ESP has been recognized with John Deere’s highest supplier rating.

The First Line of Defense (FLOD) seal is used for large pin joints on four wheel loaders and ADT units, with potential use across all John Deere platforms. ESP’s revolutionary seal design combines new cross-sectional profiles with state-of-the-art materials. Collaborating with John Deere, and testing through an unbiased third party lab, ESP utilized its FEA and in-house prototyping capabilities to design around multiple iterations and deliver an expedited solution. This seal compensates for manufacturing tolerance and normal operational wear, mitigating warranty issues. The FLOD seal allows ease of assembly in all conditions and creates optimum sealing, significantly reducing contamination and improving joint life.