The firm said the five-year investment plan, which is the biggest in JCB’s history, would create a further 7,500 jobs in the UK supply chain.
Subject to planning, JCB will build a factory in Uttoxeter, replacing one at Rugeley, and an excavator manufacturing plant in Cheadle.
To mark the announcement, Chancellor George Osborne will today visit JCB’s backhoe loader factory in Rocester, the day after he committed Government funding to a major road improvement project on the A50 trunk road in Uttoxeter.
The projected growth in machine output from Staffordshire factories will be supported by an increase in production of components from factories elsewhere in the country.
This will have knock-on effects in production of engines from JCB Power Systems in Foston, Derbyshire, and axles and gearboxes from JCB Transmissions in Wrexham, North Wales.
Five-year investment plan
- A new 350,000sq ft factory for JCB Cab Systems in Beamhurst, near Uttoxeter. This will replace the current smaller facility in Rugeley and also enable JCB to in-source production of cabs currently made by third party suppliers in Europe.
- Expansion of JCB’s production operations in Rocester with an additional 126,000sq ft of manufacturing space to increase hydraulic cylinder production.
- Purpose-built 220,000sq ft factory on the Harewood Industrial Estate in Cheadle, Staffordshire to expand existing JCB Earthmovers and JCB Compact Products operations, allowing JCB Utility Products to relocate to this site from the current smaller factory elsewhere in the town.
- Relocation of the existing JCB Finance and JCB Insurance offices in Rocester to new offices at nearby Harper Meadow in Denstone.
- A new in-house training facility for JCB staff, to be run in conjunction with key universities to support apprenticeship and graduate training programmes.
Lord Bamford said: “The Chancellor’s announcement of the major A50 road improvement project is good news for businesses in this area.
“It allows companies like JCB to plan ahead with confidence, knowing that the road network will not constrain business growth and future investment.”
