JCB has announced that George Bamford is to become joint chairman alongside his father, Lord Bamford, in the first change at the top of the manufacturing giant in more than 50 years.
The move comes as the business accelerates investment in its future, with major commitments to British manufacturing and new production capacity in the US. JCB is investing heavily in the transformation of its Staffordshire World HQ, while in the USA, a new factory in San Antonio, Texas opens next month and is expected to create 1,500 jobs over the next five years.
The announcement coincides with JCB reporting a ‘resilient’ performance in 2025, despite mixed market conditions and global geopolitical headwinds. Sales turnover totalled £5.7 billion (2024: £5.8 billion), profit before tax was £642 million (2024: £687.3 million), and machine sales reached 113,498 units (2024: 119.848). The business remained debt-free with no net borrowings. JCB said it also increased its global market share, despite ‘flat’ demand in North America and a 12% market contraction in India.
At the heart of JCB’s investment in Britain is the £100 million transformation of its Staffordshire HQ. A £60 million fully automated powder paint plant and a modernised shop floor are part of the plans, helping to secure the future of more than 8,000 UK jobs.
In the USA, JCB’s new $1 billion factory in San Antonio, Texas – the group’s largest factory in the world – opens next month. It will build Loadall telehandlers and access equipment for North America.
Investment in innovation also gathers pace. Hydrogen-powered machines are in production following JCB’s £100 million programme to develop hydrogen combustion technology.
Last month, those engines powered JCB into the record books at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The JCB Hydromax, driven by Wing Commander Andy Green OBE, recorded 406.320mph to become the fastest ever hydrogen-powered vehicle. JCB Hydromax was powered by two production-based hydrogen engines manufactured at JCB’s factory in Foston, Derbyshire.
Meanwhile, the JCB Academy, championed by Anthony Bamford to address the UK’s engineering skills shortage, is said to be going from ‘strength to strength’. This year 708 students applied for 314 places available this September. Since opening in 2010, it has educated around 3,750 young people and boasts a 100% record of leavers progressing into employment or further education. This month a total of 116 new apprentices, undergraduates and graduates, selected from more than 6,300 applicants, also joined JCB.
JCB chairman Lord Bamford said, “Last year JCB celebrated its 80th birthday and, as we look ahead, we are investing heavily in the future of the business – from the transformation of our Staffordshire headquarters and pioneering hydrogen technology, to our new factory in Texas. As part of that next chapter, I’m delighted that my son George will become joint chairman of JCB. We have never been a company that stands still, and these investments will ensure JCB is well placed to seize the opportunities ahead.”
George Bamford added, “From the day my grandfather founded JCB in 1945, innovation and investment in Great Britain has been at the heart of everything we do. JCB Hydromax showed the world what British engineering can achieve. That same spirit is in every machine we build. While JCB has expanded globally over the years, our home has always been here, and the record investment we are making in our facilities and in new products is good news for Britain and good news for JCB.”
JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald said, “While 2025 was a more challenging year with mixed market conditions around the world, JCB delivered a robust performance overall. Machine sales were down by around 5%, but turnover remained broadly stable due to a more favourable market and product mix. Despite nil market growth in North America and a 12% market contraction in India – both important markets for JCB – we increased our global market share during 2025, which is an encouraging result. The overall outlook for 2026 is for moderate growth, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, and with new capacity coming on stream in Texas and Staffordshire we are well placed to take advantage of it.”
