Page 55 - CV April-May 2019 issue

India's contribution to JCB sales risesto 39% major role to play in the company's overall States is a big positive for the industry. This
from 24% business. We not only manufacture for has also played a role in boosting volume
supplies in India, but equipment and related growth,” Macdonald added.
The construction equipment and earthmoving
products manufactured in India are exported
industry is poised for another record year and Referring to the Jaipur plant, which was set
to over 90 countries, making India a strategic
global sales may cross the one million unit up in 2014, the Chairman said three types of
business hub for our global operations.”
mark, according to JCB. The Indian machines, including BackHoe Loader and
government's move to cut GST rates on “Over the past four decades, we not only built Excavators, are made at the plant where a
construction equipment from 28 per cent to18 machines but also made a difference to the third of the staff on the shop floor are women.
per cent has resulted in unprecedented lives of people and communities with whom “We export to more than 51 countries from
demand in India over the last five months. we work closely,” he said. the Jaipur plant and we plan to expand the
product line-up further. Over the years, the
Record sales Strong growth production has been increased significantly at
the plant. In fact, we sold more equipment in
India's contribution to JCB global sales has Graeme Macdonald, Chief Executive Officer
Rajasthan than we did in Germany last year.”
shot up from 24 per cent in 2007 to a record of JCB Group, said, “Globally, the
39 per cent in 2017. Construction equipment construction equipment sector is witness to
“India is a large market with over 1.3 billion
sales were at a record 9,00,000 units globally strong growth. After the boom phase in 2007,
population. Expected to become the third
last calendar year, registering a growth of this is another phase of strong growth. We
largest economy in the world, there is huge
over 20 per cent. With the first quarter just are in for another record year in 2018.” “India
requirement of infrastructure. With the
closing in and the numbers showing strong is an extremely important market for JCB,
economy growing at over 6-7 per cent, the
growth, JCB expects another record year. playing a role in developing roads and
potential is huge,” Bamford said.
highways, urban rejuvenation, irrigation and
JC Bamford, Chairman of JCB, the UK-based
Railways. The growth witnessed in India On the ongoing trade related issues between
manufacturer, told visiting mediapersons at
would not have been possible but for the five the US and China potentially having a major
the company's factory site close to Jaipur in
manufacturing facilities, facilitating export to fallout globally, Bamford said it was too early
Rajasthan: “The information we are getting
over 90 countries,” Macdonald said. to comment.
from various markets, China, Brazil, Europe
and the US shows that the construction Govt push And on when the Indian market would get as
equipment sector will see another record big as China, he said, “In India, the market
“There is significant push from the
year.” The JCB Chairman told BusinessLine, demand is 60,000 units as against 200,000 in
government in the infrastructure sector. The
“With five manufacturing facilities and more China. These are two different types of
GST regime bringing one tax across all the
than 50 products made here, India has a economies, and would be hard to compare.”

53 / CONSTRUCTION VISION / May June 2019