JCB may invest Rs 400 cr in K'taka for fourth factory

Construction equipment manufacturer JCB India Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UK’s JC Bamford Excavators Ltd, has shown interest in setting up a new manufacturing unit in Karnataka. A team of its senior officials recently held talks with the Karnataka government for land to locate the factory.

A top official in the commerce and industries department here said the state government was keen to provide the land in Mangalore or Dharwad.

Though the extent of investment being proposed by the company is not confirmed, it is learnt to be looking at investing around Rs 400 crore. When asked, a company official declined to comment.

At present, JCB India has two units in Pune and one at Ballabgarh in Haryana. The latter has a capacity of 100 excavators per day on a single shift.

The company has invested Rs 600 crore in the past three years for expansion of capacities in both places. It also has India’s largest Parts & Technical Training Centre for construction equipment in Pune.