JCB plans to cut up to 196 jobs

JCB said it was responding to a shortage in orders

Digger firm JCB plans to cut up to 196 jobs at five bases in Staffordshire and Wrexham, it has announced.

A spokesman for the firm said an upturn in demand for its products had "failed to materialise" and it did not expect order levels to improve soon.

JCB is consulting with staff over cuts at its Rocester HQ, JCB Cab Systems in Rugeley and JCB Utility Products and Landpower, both in Cheadle.

JCB Transmissions in Wrexham is also affected by the plans.

Consultation period

The company also said production would be curtailed in the first full working week in January when all shopfloor employees would take part in a training programme.

The spokesman for JCB said: "With no immediate prospect of an improvement in order levels, we must, regrettably, respond to the situation and reduce our manning levels to harmonise them with demand."

JCB has begun a 90-day consultation period with staff at its world HQ in Rocester, while the other affected sites will see a 45-day consultation.

It brings the total number of job cuts announced at the company to about 1,800 since last summer, including nearly 400 cuts last November.