Production of JCB’s compaction equipment will cease at its factory in Germany, with manufacturing of the units being switched to plants in the UK and India
UK firm 255 JCB is opting to move production of its compaction equipment range from its facility in Germany to facilities in India and the UK. Production of the VM compactors and the two larger VM tandem rollers will be moved to the firm’s factory in Pune. Meanwhile production of all walk-behind models and the two smaller VM tandem rollers is relocating to the JCB Attachments factory in Uttoxeter. And production of the 403 Wheeled Loading Shovel will be brought back to the JCB Utility Products factory in Cheadle. This move will see the closure of the firm’s facility at Gatersleben in Germany with the loss of 145 jobs in the country, although 90 jobs will be created in the UK and India. JCB chief executive officer, Graeme Macdonald said, “The decision to relocate production of compaction equipment to factories in the UK and India is right for our business. The decision wasn’t taken lightly and the impact on our employees in Germany is regrettable. Demand for compaction equipment has shifted towards emerging markets and manufacturing smaller models in the UK and larger equipment in India is in our customers’ best interests, especially in light of our recent investments in new compaction products.”
