NEW DELHI: The U.K.-based construction equipment manufacturer, JCB, on Friday opened its newly extended Rs. 300 crore backhoe loader factory at Ballabhgarh (Faridabad) in Haryana, doubling its capacity to produce 100 backhoes a day.

Inaugurating the factory, JCB Chairman, Sir Anthony Bamford said “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.” JCB would further strengthen its position in backhoe and heavy excavators market, he added.

JCB Chief Executive Officer Matthew Taylor said “The backhoe loader will continue to be our flagship product in India. However, we expect heavy excavators to increasingly define our future in India as the country continues to develop and needs larger equipment to do so. JCB’s $75 million investment in its Pune plant positions us very well to take advantage of the growing demand for excavators, wheel loaders and compactors,” he said.

JCB India Managing Director & CEO Vipin Sondhi said they have sold over 80,000 machines here since 1979.

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