Staffordshire-based JCB (www.jcb.com), the manufacturer of construction and agricultural machinery, set new records for turnover and machine sales in 2017 — a year that saw global markets continue to rebound strongly.

The company revealed at the end of last month a year-on-year sales increase of almost 28% in 1917 (to £3.35 billion), with machine sales rising to 75,693 (from 66,011) and earnings rising by almost 19% to £341 million.

The rebound in global markets has continued in 2018, pushing JCB’s global production to a record level of 500 machines per day.

Graeme Macdonald, JCB CEO, said: “2017 was a very strong year for JCB, during which we outpaced the market and set new sales records. While the global market grew by over 21% last year, JCB’s sales increased by almost 28%.

“This growth drove demand for all of JCB’s product ranges, in particular Loadall telescopic handlers, where we are now investing in increased global production capacity.”

JCB chairman Lord Bamford said: “Employment levels across our plants are also at record highs, and we now employ more than 15,000 people. In the UK alone, we have recruited almost 1,100 people this year, which is superb news for JCB and great news for British manufacturing.”

JCB has 22 factories around the world (including 11 in the UK, which now employ a record 7,600 people).

In June, the company revealed that it is investing £50 million in a new plant in Uttoxeter to make cabs for its machines; this is due to open in 2019.