JCB has reported on its continued investment following its world record success with the Hydromax.
It comes as the company makes its first change at the top of the company in more than 50 years, with George Bamford becoming joint chairman alongside his father Lord Bamford.
Key to the investments is £100 million for the headquarters in Staffordshire. This includes £60 million for a new powder paint system and modernisations across the shop floor, which the company states will secure the future of more than 8,000 jobs.
JCB’s new $1 billion factory in San Antonio, Texas – at one million square feet, JCB’s largest factory in the world – will open next month. It will build Loadall telescopic handlers and access equipment for North America, the world’s biggest construction equipment market.
Hydrogen-powered machines are now in production following JCB’s £100 million programme to develop hydrogen combustion technology, making it the first construction equipment company in the world to bring a fully approved hydrogen-fuelled combustion engine to market. Two of these engines were used in the world record run.
Meanwhile, the JCB Academy saw 708 applications for 314 places available this September. Since opening in 2010, it has educated around 3,750 young people and boasts a 100% record of leavers progressing into employment or further education. This month, a total of 116 new apprentices, undergraduates and graduates, selected from more than 6,300 applicants, also joined JCB.
JCB chairman Lord Bamford said: “Last year JCB celebrated its 80th birthday and, as we look ahead, we are investing heavily in the future of the business – from the transformation of our Staffordshire headquarters and pioneering hydrogen technology, to our new factory in Texas. As part of that next chapter, I’m delighted that my son George will become Joint Chairman of JCB. We have never been a company that stands still, and these investments will ensure JCB is well placed to seize the opportunities ahead.”
George Bamford said: “From the day my grandfather founded JCB in 1945, innovation and investment in Great Britain has been at the heart of everything we do. JCB Hydromax showed the world what British engineering can achieve. That same spirit is in every machine we build. While JCB has expanded globally over the years, our home has always been here, and the record investment we are making in our facilities and in new products is good news for Britain and good news for JCB.”
JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald said: “While 2025 was a more challenging year with mixed market conditions around the world, JCB delivered a robust performance overall. Machine sales were down by around 5%, but turnover remained broadly stable due to a more favourable market and product mix. Despite nil market growth in North America and a 12% market contraction in India – both important markets for JCB – we increased our global market share during 2025, which is an encouraging result. The overall outlook for 2026 is for moderate growth, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, and with new capacity coming on stream in Texas and Staffordshire we are well placed to take advantage of it.”