JCB has revealed plans to recruit more than 400 additional UK shop floor employees as the company gears up for a surge in production.

The manufacturing giant has said the market for construction equipment has “rebounded sharply” after the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in spring 2020, which halted production at JCB factories around the world.

Today the company confirmed it was recruiting more than 400 additional agency employees in a variety of jobs including assembly, welding and forklift truck drivers.

In addition, the business is giving permanent contracts to up to 300 existing agency employees, including welders, fabricators and CNC machinists.

Chief operating officer Mark Turner said: “In March 2020 our orders dramatically disappeared overnight when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold and while we were able to protect our shop floor workforce, regrettably many staff positions were impacted.

“It took more than six months for the business to recover to production levels we last saw in March 2020.

“This year has started strongly and our forecasts predict a continued solid recovery, with strong demand from mainland Europe and North America.

This means we are now in a position to recruit many more shop floor colleagues and offer permanent JCB contracts to a large number of existing agency employees.

“After a tumultuous 12 months, this really is good news.”