DIGGER giant JCB has embarked on an £8 million investment programme at its British manufacturing plants as it gears up for future growth in global markets.
The Rocester-based company is spending the money at JCB’s Midlands and Wales factories on new machine tools which will further enhance component quality and production efficiency.
One of the biggest single investments is in £4 million worth of machine tools in the hydraulic business unit at the World Headquarters in Rocester.
The new equipment, which will be fully operational next month, includes CNC lathes, friction welders, robotic welding cells and an automated assembly cell.
The introduction of the new machinery will provide an additional 20 per cent of production capacity for hydraulic rams – the company said the steel cylinders were integral to JCB’s products and which, through hydraulic power, act as the machine’s ‘muscles’ when lifting, loading and excavating.
Other investments at the World Headquarters include a new machining centre in the backhoe loader business unit and a new machining centre and robot welder in the loadall business unit.JCB chief executive Alan Blake said this was part of the company’s plans to grow its business by investing heavily in machinery.
