JCB reports progress on Texas plant

The Savannah, Georgia-based JCB North America business unit of U.K.-based JC Bamford Excavators Ltd. (JCB) continues to make progress on the $500 million manufacturing facility it is building in San Antonio.

JCB says the investment is being made to reinforce its commitment to manufacturing in the United States and to the region’s construction and agriculture equipment sectors.

The facility is being situated on a 400-acre site and is expected to employ 1,500 people when it starts producing JCB telehandlers and mobile elevating work platforms.

The company says the project is the single largest investment in its 80-year history, adding that it remains on schedule, with hiring set to begin later this year and production launching in mid-2026.

In April, JCB announced an increase in the size of the San Antonio facility, bringing the total footprint to 1 million square feet. JCB says that expansion reflects the company’s strategy to increase production closer to customers, improve delivery timelines and reducing supply chain risk.

“This expansion highlights our long-term commitment to U.S. manufacturing,” JCB North America CEO Richard Fox-Marrs says. “The decision to grow our presence in San Antonio is not only about bricks and mortar. It’s about delivering value to our customers, strengthening our supply chain and investing in the future of American industry.”

Since the groundbreaking in June of last year, JCB says it has made rapid progress on site preparation and infrastructure. More than 1 million tons of dirt and 119,000 tons of select fill were moved, and nearly 19,300 linear feet of sewer, water and storm lines installed.

The architectural design is being led by San Antonio-based RVK Architecture, while R&S Excavation Ltd., Boerne, Texas, has focused on grading and San Antonio-based Ella Contracting has led utility work.

“The efficiency and expertise demonstrated by our site development teams have been outstanding,” says David Carver, operations director for JCB in San Antonio. “Their work has built a strong foundation for what will be a world-class manufacturing facility.”

With foundational work complete, vertical construction has now begun on the production and office buildings, with San Antonio-based Joeris General Contractors leading that phase of development.

“Joeris is proud to partner with JCB on a project that powerfully reflects our mission of transforming people and places,” says Burton Hackney, president of Joeris General Contractors. “This facility is more than just a building—it’s a sign of what’s possible for San Antonio’s future.”