Boris Johnson joins Lord Bamford at new JCB India plant opening

Boris Johnson and Lord Bamford at the plant opening ceremony in Gujarat state Photo: JCB

UK Prime minister Boris Johnson has officially opened a new JCB factory in India. The £100 million plant will fabricate parts for use across JCB’s global production lines.

The new plant is located in Vadodara, Gujarat state. It is near the port city of Surat on India’s west coast. The 47-acre site will have the capability to process 85,000 tonnes of steel per year.

Joining the PM was JCB chairman Lord Anthony Bamford. Commenting at the opening he said: “In its first year of full production, JCB India manufactured just 39 machines and by next year will have made a total of half a million. This country is now a major engineering power and being here has transformed our business.

“It has been a fabulous success, with so much more potential for growth. Such progress has only been possible by continued investment and the opening of our new Gujarat facility is an important step in growing our business here and around the world.”

The heavy equipment and engine manufacturer started production in India in 1979 and is now the country’s leading producer of construction equipment. The first factory was opened Ballabgarh, near New Delhi.

JCB India CEO and MD, Deepak Shetty, said: “This new facility will create around 1,200 direct jobs when complete and thousands more in the supply chain. It will also be a benchmark in the industry on gender diversity and modern technologies in laser cutting, welding and machining.

“Vadodara is a strategic location for JCB India given its proximity to ports and availability of raw materials and skilled talent. We would like to thank the Government of Gujarat for its phenomenal support with this project.”

The new plant will be a gender-diverse facility, employing 50% women. It will further feature a skills centre where young professionals will be trained to work in manufacturing.

The company now operates six locations in country, including sites in Jaipur and Pune.

Find out more about JCB and its new tech development projects by joining us at the New Power Progress Summit on 3 May at 1500 GMT. Click here to register for the event.