JCB opens two new factories in India

JCB has opened two new factories in Jaipur, India, representing an investment of UK£ 62 million (US$ 100 million). The opening of the factories comes as JCB celebrates 35 years of manufacturing in India, where it now has five facilities.

JCB chairman Lord Bamford was joined by Vasundhara Raje, chief minister of Rajasthan, at the official opening of the two new plants on a 115 acre (46.5 Ha) site, which will provide 1 million ft2 (93,000 m2) of manufacturing space.

When fully operational the factories will employ 1,000 people. They will manufacture components as well as skid steer loaders and telescopic handlers for the Indian market. They will also provide JCB with additional backhoe loader manufacturing capacity.

Lord Bamford said, “I could never have imagined when we first started out in business in India 35 years ago that we would have become as successful as we have. One of the keys to that success is to continually invest for growth and that is exactly what we have done with these two new factories in Jaipur. When the market returns to growth we will be very well placed to meet the increased demand.

“The growth of JCB India has been phenomenal and India has been our biggest market for seven years now. With the support of the Rajasthan Government we can expand further in this wonderful country with the two new plants here in Jaipur.”

According to JCB, India overtook the UK as its biggest single market in 2007 – a position it has maintained ever since. Since the company was founded in 1945, JCB has manufactured more than 1 million machines and 200,000 of those have been made in India.

JCB India also has two factories in Pune, where the company manufactures excavators, wheeled loaders and compaction equipment. Meanwhile the factory on its original site near Delhi makes backhoe loaders and engines.