Global earthmoving and construction equipment major JCB has opened its fourth and fifth plants in India with an investment of Rs. 500 crore.
 Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and JCB Group Chairman, Lord Bamford inaugurated the manufacturing facilities in Jaipur on 14th Nov.
Commenting on the occasion Lord Bamford said, “The inauguration of the two Jaipur factories is a significant milestone for JCB, which has been making in India for 35 years and has grown to become one of India’s most respected manufacturers. From small beginnings in 1979, I could never have imagined that our family business would employ 5,000 people in India making JCBs, with thousands more employed elsewhere in the supply chain. The new factories in Jaipur mean our contribution to the Indian economy will grow and I am grateful to the Rajasthan Government for their support in helping JCB make our investment ambitions a reality.”
Graeme Macdonald, CEO, JCB Group adds, “JCB has a long history of investing in long-term global growth opportunities. Today’s inauguration of two new factories in Jaipur is the beginning of another phase in JCB’s growth plans for India. It is only a matter of time before the current short-term market concerns give way to the long-term growth in demand for construction equipment that will follow as the wider Indian economy picks up.”
Located on 115 acres of land just 35 kms from Jaipur city, the site is home to JCB’s single largest manufacturing footprint in India. When operating at full capacity, it will employ around 1,000 people. “Component manufacturing is already underway at one of the Jaipur plants and next year production will begin of telescopic handlers and skid steer loaders for the Indian market. The facility will also provide additional backhoe loader capacity from 2015,” the company informed.
Vipin Sondhi, MD and CEO, JCB India Ltd said, “JCB India will be making products in Jaipur to the same world-class standard as the machines we make in our existing three factories in Ballabgarh and Pune.”
JCB India’s three manufacturing facilities include the world’s largest backhoe loader factory in Ballabgarh, near New Delhi and two factories in Pune, manufacturing fabrications and components – mainly for export – as well as heavy equipment, including large excavators, wheeled loading shovels and compaction equipment.