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Pune, Nov. 16 Construction equipment manufacturer JCB India Ltd today inaugurated a new plant for heavy-line excavators, adjacent to its existing facility for manufacture of components at Talegaon, near Pune.

The company has also sought an additional 100 acres of land in the region for its growth plans.

The new plant, which has an installed capacity of 2,000 units per year, will cater to both domestic as well as for the export markets.

“India is a global manufacturing nation, and will be a hub for Africa, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia in South East Asia,” Mr Jon Patterson, Managing Director and CEO, JC Bamford Excavators Ltd, said.

The company has invested Rs 330 crore at its two facilities in Pune, and is also investing Rs 150 crore in upgrading its third plant at Ballabhgarh, Haryana, and doubling manufacturing capacity from around 12,000 units to 25,000 units.

“We will concentrate on excavators, loading shovels and compact rollers,” Mr Patterson said, adding that India is now the single largest JCB business anywhere in the world.

Last year, JCB India produced 10,800 machines of the 55,000 manufactured globally, and exported 50 per cent machines and 65 per cent of its component production.

“We expect the (global) number to be 70,000 this year,” he revealed.

JCB India Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of the UK-based, $3.4-billion JCB Excavators.

The company, which has 55 per cent share in the domestic market, earned revenues of Rs 2,000 crore for the year ended December 2006.

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