The 350,000 sqft facility, next to two existing JCB plants in Uttoxeter, will be the new home of JCB Cab Systems, which currently employs more than 400 people at its base in Rugeley, Staffordshire. The highly automated factory will have the capacity to produce around 100,000 cabs per year via a computer-controlled production line, fully automated paint facility and robotic welding.
“This new factory will be the most advanced and productive cab factory in the world and will bring even greater levels of efficiency to the business,” said Graeme Macdonald, CEO of JCB. “The investment is one of the biggest in the company’s history and underlines our commitment to manufacturing in Britain and in our home county of Staffordshire.”
The new plant is scheduled to open in the summer of 2019. “While new jobs will be created, moving to the new factory will enable us to double capacity without doubling the workforce thanks to high levels of automation,” added JCB Cab Systems’ general manager, David Carver. “The whole plant is being designed to improve productivity, reduce waste and provide unprecedented quality levels.”
