John Deere honors Springfield metalworker

Morgal, a division of Springfield’s McGregor Metalworking Cos., has been named a partner supplier in John Deere & Co.’s “achieving excellence” program, the local company said.

Morgal was one of four metal stampers supplying Deere to receive the distinction, the company said. Less than five percent of Deere’s suppliers are named a partner, McGregor said in a news release.

Morgal supplies eight Deere facilities.

Having operated for seven decades, McGregor — which owns five companies, including Morgal — has more than 280 full-time employees and hit $70 million in sales in 2010, up 35 percent from 2009, the company said.