JCB India has commissioned its new plant at Ballabgarh adjoining the old one, turning them into the largest plants of its kind in the world

JCB (India) commissioned the world's largest backhoe loader plant at Ballabgarh near Delhi recently. Inaugurated by JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford, the newly extended US$60 million (Rs 300 crore) backhoe loader factory - the largest of its kind in the world - is actually a combination of JCB's old plant and new plant, taking the total capacity to 100 backhoe loaders a day. Started in 1979 as a small, low volume entity spread over 24,000 sq.m (258,240 sq.ft) in collaboration with Escorts, the new plant totals 33,574 sq.m (361,256 sq.ft) including assembly line, paint shop, fabrication, transmission, logistics, utility, pre-delivery inspection and hot test area. Recounting the history of JCB's entry into India and the setting up of the old plant, which is also the company's first plant, Sir Anthony Bamford quoted, "When this factory first opened here in 1979 it was a small, low volume manufacturing facility. Today, it is the largest backhoe loader factory in the world, an achievement which fills me with immense pride." Also present at the inauguration, JCB Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Taylor added: "What happened here 30 years ago was a first in so many different ways. This factory was the first JCB factory to be built outside Britain. When the first machine was made here, it was in fact the first backhoe loader ever to be made on Indian soil." 

Stressing the fact that JCB would go from strength to strength in India, Sir Bamford added that his company would seek growth not only in backhoe sales but also in heavy excavators, which the company began manufacturing in India in 2007. Expecting heavy excavators to increasingly define JCB's future in India, Sir Anthony Bamford explained that the factories in India are among the best in the world and the products they make are second-to-none. Other than the Ballabgarh plant, the company has a green field plant at Talegaon near Pune. Built with an investment of US $75 million, the Pune plant commenced operations in 2007 and is JCB's heavy products factory. The JS80, JS140, JS200 and JS210 tracked excavators alongside wheeled loaders and compaction equipment are thus made here. Not limiting to tracked excavators, wheeled loaders and compaction equipment, the Pune plant also makes fabrications. 

JCB (India) which holds approximately 53 percent of the construction equipment market in terms of numbers sold and revealed a turnered of Rs. 800 crore for the year ended December 2008, is a fully owned subsidiary of JC Bamford Excavators Limited, UK. The collaboration with Escorts ended in the year 2003 when the British off-highway giant bought out the Escorts stake and signed a non-compete agreement, which expired in January 2008, paving way for Escorts to enter the backhoe loader and fork lift market. JCB in the meanwhile has grown from 9 dealers and 12 outlets in 1987 to 48 dealers and over 320 outlets in 2009 in India along with a world-class customer service network support. In what is termed as a well devised strategy, the company has come to offer a wide range of products like wheel loaders, tracked excavators, tele handlers, vibratory compactors and skid steers in addition to the backhoe loaders.