JCB breaks ground on Texas complex

JCB North America, a Savannah, Georgia-based business unit of United Kingdom-based construction equipment maker JC Bamford Excavators Ltd., has started work on its planned $500 million factory in San Antonio.

The company’s plans were announced last October, marking the biggest single investment in the JCB history.

At a groundbreaking ceremony at the 40-acre site, Alice Bamford, daughter of company board chair Anthony Bamford, turned the first shovelful of dirt on the property. The ceremony signaled the start of construction on the planned 720,000 square foot facility.

When completed, it will be the company’s second largest plant, rivalled only by JCB’s world headquarters facility in Rocester, England.

“Construction equipment manufacturers sell more than 300,000 machines every year in North America, making it the single largest market in the world,” Anthony Bamford says. “JCB has been growing its share of this important market steadily over the past few years and the time is now right to invest in our manufacturing capacity in North America, where we already have one factory.

“JCB really has come a considerable way since we sold our first machine here 60 years ago, and it gives me immense pleasure to see how our business has grown in North America. Today really is a milestone day in the history of our family company.”

JCB estimates the facility will create 1,500 new jobs over the next five years. The factory initially will make Loadall telescopic handlers and aerial access equipment, with production scheduled to start in 2026.

The factory also will have the capacity to expand and build other products in the future, the firm says. Other equipment made by JCB includes excavators, wheel loaders and skid steer loaders.

“I am proud to welcome JCB as the newest business to call our great state home,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says. “Today's groundbreaking marks a major milestone in JCB's journey that will create 1,500 good-paying jobs for hardworking Texans in Bexar County and bring hundreds of millions of new capital investment to San Antonio and beyond."

“The Loadall telescopic handler is JCB’s biggest selling product in North America and it is also the single largest market for aerial access equipment worldwide, and therefore, it makes great sense to build these two ranges here,” adds Richard Fox-Marrs, president and CEO of JCB North America.

“Texas is an obvious choice for our new North American manufacturing facility, not least because the state is the largest consumer of construction equipment in the United States. San Antonio is also the logical choice as a location for our new factory because of its central location, proximity to the supply chain and great local labor force.”

JCB sold its first machine in North America in 1964 and opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in 2001 in Savannah. That location now employs 1,000 people.

Globally, JCB employs 19,000 people and has 22 factories, including 11 in the U.K., seven in India and others in Brazil and China. The company will mark its 80th anniversary next year.

“JCB’s business in North America has made tremendous progress in the past few years and the opportunity for growth here is vast," says Graeme Macdonald, CEO of JCB. "This record investment gives us a fantastic opportunity to build on our success and we look forward to the completion of this great new facility."