‘This really is good news!’
JCB taking on 400 new staff and hands permanent deals to another 300 workers
DIGGER-GIANT JCB is recruiting more than 400 new agency workers as it prepares to ramp up production.
The manufacturer is recruiting hundreds of additional shop floor staff at its UK factories – including assembers, welders and fork lift drivers – after the construction equipment market ‘rebounded sharply’ from the severe impact of the pandemic.
At the same time, JCB is giving permanent contracts to up to 300 existing agency workers, such as welders, fabricators and CNC machinists.
Last spring, JCB was forced to halt production at its factories around the world as a result of Covid-19.
It also axed almost 1,000 staff after seeing the demand for its machines fall by half.
But now the recruitment drive for hundreds of new workers has begun.
JCB chief operating officer Mark Turner said: “In March 2020 our orders dramatically disappeared overnight when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold and while we were able to protect our shop floor workforce, regrettably many staff positions were impacted. It took more than six months for the business to recover to production levels we last saw in March 2020.
“This year has started strongly and our forecasts predict a continued solid recovery, with strong demand from mainland Europe and North America.
“This means we are now in a position to recruit many more shop floor colleagues and offer permanent JCB contracts to a large number of existing agency employees. After a tumultuous 12 months, this really is good news.”
Sara Williams, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “JCB is a ‘bellwether’ for the local economy. They are ahead of the curve when it comes to business planning and forecasting and have successfully ridden the tide of change for decades. For JCB to hire new staff members indicates potential green shoots in Staffordshire’s economy.”
Alun Rogers, chairman of the Stoke-ontrent and Staffordshire LEP, said: “We are pleased to see JCB showing its confidence in the economy and being able to see beyond the current challenges.”