UK equipment maker JCB is to build a £65m plant in Vadodara in the State of Gujarat on India’s west coast.
The 44-acre factory will make production lines parts for other JCB facilities around the world.
The plant will contain laser cutting, welding and machining technology, and will be capable of processing 85,000 tonnes of steel a year. India has been JCB’s biggest market since 2007 and this latest factory will be JCB’s sixth in the country, joining others in Delhi, Jaipur and Pune.
Lord Bamford, JCB’s chairman, said: "This year we celebrate 40 years of JCB India and our success over those four decades is down to our continual investment. It’s fitting that we mark the 40th anniversary with an investment in a factory which will give us enormous manufacturing capacity."
Vipin Sondhi, JCB India’s managing director, said: "For 40 years JCB has remained committed to India. The decision to build a world-class factory at Vadodara builds on JCB’s commitment to India. The chosen site is strategically important because it is located close to a major sea port."
Image: From left, JCB India MD Vipin Sondhi, JCB Chairman Lord Bamford, JCB Chief Operating Officer Mark Turner, JCB India Chief Operating Officer Subir Chowdhury (JCB)
