The construction giant, JCB has announced it is building a £50 million plant in Staffordshire set to create 200 jobs and double the production of cabs used on its machines.
The construction of the factory is currently underway on a 350,000 sq ft facility for JCB Cab Systems adjacent to the A50 in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. ,Built next to two existing JCB plant, the hi-tech factory will have the capacity to produce around 100,000 cabs a year. It will feature a computer controlled production line, fully-automated painting facility and robotic welding and by 2022, aims to have created more than 200 new jobs.
JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald said, “This new factory will be the most advanced and productive cab facility in the world and will bring even greater levels of efficiency to the business. The investment is one of the biggest in the company’s history and underlines our commitment to manufacturing in Britain and in our home county of Staffordshire.”
JCB Cab Systems currently employs more than 400 people at its existing site in Rugeley. JCB Cab Systems’ general manager David Carver said, “While new jobs will be created, moving to the new factory will enable us to double capacity without doubling the workforce thanks to high levels of automation. The whole plant is being designed to improve productivity, reduce waste and provide unprecedented quality levels.”
The new plant is scheduled to open in the summer of 2019.