US heavy equipment manufacturer Deere & Company is paring down its workforce in Iowa, Kallanish understands.

Deere will put about 125 total employees at its Dubuque and Ankeny facilities on indefinite layoff beginning 15 April.

The company “… continues to balance the size of its manufacturing workforce with market demand for products at individual factories,” according to a statement.

In January 2015, Deere temporarily laid off about 500 employees at its Moline, Illinois, facility. The workers were recalled during the summer and then about 220 employees were indefinitely laid off in February due to predicted low demand for heavy equipment in 2016.

Competitor Caterpillar has similarly begun trimming its workforce in line with sagging demand predictions for 2016. It has vowed to cut 4,000-5,000 jobs worldwide and close 10% of its manufacturing square footage by the end of the year.

Heavy equipment manufacturers are a major consumer of steel, notably plate and special bar quality products.