JCB Opens San Antonio Factory

JCB is accelerating investment in its future, with a major commitment to production capacity in the United States. The new factory in San Antonio, Texas — its largest in the world — opens soon, creating 1,500 jobs over the next five years.

As JCB invests for its next chapter, George Bamford is to become Joint Chairman of the family company alongside his father, Lord Bamford. It is the first change at the top of JCB in more than 50 years, during which the business has grown from its Staffordshire roots into one of Britain’s largest privately owned manufacturers, with 23 factories and more than 20,000 employees worldwide.

JCB’s new $1 billion factory in San Antonio will build Loadall telescopic handlers and access equipment for North America, the world’s biggest construction equipment market.

Investment in factories is being matched by investment in innovation. Hydrogen-powered machines are now in production following JCB’s $132m program 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.

Last month, those engines powered JCB into the record books at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The JCB Hydromax, driven by Wing Commander Andy Green OBE, recorded 406.320mph (653.909km/h) on the Salt Flats to become the fastest ever hydrogen-powered vehicle — more than doubling the previous hydrogen combustion record and beating JCB’s own Dieselmax diesel record, set 20 years earlier. JCB Hydromax was powered by two production-based hydrogen engines manufactured at JCB’s factory in Foston, Derbyshire, and went from idea to world record in just 18 months.

JCB Chairman, Lord Bamford, and newly-appointed Joint Chairman, George Bamford.

Lord Bamford, JCB Chairman, 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.”

Graeme Macdonald, JCB CEO, 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.”