logo
Staffordshire-based JCB doubles USA factory size due to tariffs

Staffordshire-based JCB doubles USA factory size due to tariffs

BBC News16-04-2025

A Staffordshire-based digger firm is planning to ramp up production in the USA after the American administration brought in new levies on imported goods.Bosses at JCB said they had planned for a situation where tariffs would be imposed, and had made preparations to increase production in the USA.It is an important market for the firm, which is headquartered in Rocester.Chief executive officer Graeme Macdonald said:"The north American market is the largest market in the world. To put it into perspective, it is double the size of [the market in] Europe."
He added: "Politics aside, the Trump administration is full of business people."They are business people who are willing to do deals, so I'd encourage our UK government to go and do a deal with the US administration."As part of the company's long-term strategy in America, JCB is doubling the size of its factory in Texas.Work began last June, and production is due to begin next year.The firm already has a plant in Georgia, USA, where it has been based for 25 years.
Bosses at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, however, described the current uncertainty around tariffs as "crippling"."People are just really uncertain what it means, and at what point it comes in," said CEO Rachel Laver.It has left some businesses looking to trade more with other countries.Adam Savage from Barkers Fencing, a high security fencing specialist in Stoke-on-Trent, said: "We'll probably adjust our strategy a little bit.""There'll be opportunities in other territories – Canada, for example."He said he could foresee some American companies preferring British-made products to American goods.However, how best to adapt remains a question asked by many business bosses.
Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash
British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash

Western Telegraph

time30 minutes ago

  • Western Telegraph

British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash

The Air India flight, which was carrying more than 240 people from the city of Ahmedabad – including 53 British nationals, collided with a medical college on Thursday. The Hindustan Times said 40-year-old British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash, telling the newspaper: 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.' A video of the crash circulating online showed the aircraft flying over a residential area before disappearing behind trees, followed by a huge explosion and large plumes of black smoke. The public should be prepared for a significant loss of British lives, Downing Street said. Images of the aftermath of the crash showed parts of the plane embedded into BJ Medical College as firefighters continued to tackle the smoke. Pieces of the aircraft's landing gear, fuselage and tail could all be seen protruding from the building. Officials said the flight was departing from Ahmedabad Airport with 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Air India said on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals. We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured. Tata Group will… — Tata Group (@TataCompanies) June 12, 2025 Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of those who were killed in the crash. The company said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the 'building up' of the medical college the plane crashed into. Divyansh Singh, vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, told AP at least five medical students had been killed and around 50 were injured after the plane collided with the college. Campbell Wilson, the chief executive of Air India, expressed his 'deep sorrow' after the incident, adding: 'This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.' (PA Graphics) UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said. The King said he was 'desperately shocked' by the incident and Buckingham Palace said he was being kept updated on the developing situation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the crash was 'devastating', while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said it was 'heartbreaking beyond words'. Asked if people should prepare for a significant loss of life, a Downing Street spokesman told reporters: 'Yes. 'As the PM said this morning, the scenes emerging of the London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city at Ahmedabad are devastating. 'Clearly this is a deeply distressing time for families. The situation is still unfolding.' Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a 'tragic accident' and a 'devastating event', and said emergency response teams are at the site. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. Search and rescue teams attended the scene in Ahmedabad (Ajit Solanki/AP) The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight. Gatwick said a reception centre was being set up for relatives of passengers on board the Air India flight. It is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Flightradar24 said flight tracking data shows after taking off, the plane reached a maximum altitude of 625ft, which is about 425ft above the airport. It then started to descend at a rate of 475 feet per minute. A message from His Majesty The King following this morning's tragic incident in Ahmedabad. — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 12, 2025 Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. It started operating flights to Gatwick in March 2023, with 12 weekly departures and five weekly departures to Ahmedabad. Gatwick said there was no impact on wider flight operations at the airport, but a Thursday evening flight to Goa had been cancelled. Recent analysis by the PA news agency found it was the worst airline for delays to flights from UK airports last year, with planes taking off by an average of more than 45 minutes later than scheduled. The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight (Ajit Solanki/AP) The airline has gained a poor reputation for delays and cancellations in recent years, partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare aircraft parts, which led to some of its fleet being grounded. The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft involved in the crash was in December 2013. The plane was delivered to Air India during the following month. The FCDO said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.

British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash
British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash

The Herald Scotland

time34 minutes ago

  • The Herald Scotland

British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash

The Hindustan Times said 40-year-old British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash, telling the newspaper: 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.' A video of the crash circulating online showed the aircraft flying over a residential area before disappearing behind trees, followed by a huge explosion and large plumes of black smoke. The public should be prepared for a significant loss of British lives, Downing Street said. Images of the aftermath of the crash showed parts of the plane embedded into BJ Medical College as firefighters continued to tackle the smoke. Pieces of the aircraft's landing gear, fuselage and tail could all be seen protruding from the building. Officials said the flight was departing from Ahmedabad Airport with 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Air India said on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals. We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured. Tata Group will… — Tata Group (@TataCompanies) June 12, 2025 Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of those who were killed in the crash. The company said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the 'building up' of the medical college the plane crashed into. Divyansh Singh, vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, told AP at least five medical students had been killed and around 50 were injured after the plane collided with the college. Campbell Wilson, the chief executive of Air India, expressed his 'deep sorrow' after the incident, adding: 'This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.' (PA Graphics) UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said. The King said he was 'desperately shocked' by the incident and Buckingham Palace said he was being kept updated on the developing situation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the crash was 'devastating', while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said it was 'heartbreaking beyond words'. Asked if people should prepare for a significant loss of life, a Downing Street spokesman told reporters: 'Yes. 'As the PM said this morning, the scenes emerging of the London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city at Ahmedabad are devastating. 'Clearly this is a deeply distressing time for families. The situation is still unfolding.' Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a 'tragic accident' and a 'devastating event', and said emergency response teams are at the site. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. Search and rescue teams attended the scene in Ahmedabad (Ajit Solanki/AP) The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight. Gatwick said a reception centre was being set up for relatives of passengers on board the Air India flight. It is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Flightradar24 said flight tracking data shows after taking off, the plane reached a maximum altitude of 625ft, which is about 425ft above the airport. It then started to descend at a rate of 475 feet per minute. A message from His Majesty The King following this morning's tragic incident in Ahmedabad. — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 12, 2025 Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. It started operating flights to Gatwick in March 2023, with 12 weekly departures and five weekly departures to Ahmedabad. Gatwick said there was no impact on wider flight operations at the airport, but a Thursday evening flight to Goa had been cancelled. Recent analysis by the PA news agency found it was the worst airline for delays to flights from UK airports last year, with planes taking off by an average of more than 45 minutes later than scheduled. The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight (Ajit Solanki/AP) The airline has gained a poor reputation for delays and cancellations in recent years, partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare aircraft parts, which led to some of its fleet being grounded. The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft involved in the crash was in December 2013. The plane was delivered to Air India during the following month. The FCDO said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.

Barbie-maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI, eyes first AI-powered product this year
Barbie-maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI, eyes first AI-powered product this year

Reuters

timean hour ago

  • Reuters

Barbie-maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI, eyes first AI-powered product this year

June 12 (Reuters) - Mattel (MAT.O), opens new tab has teamed up with OpenAI to develop toys and games with artificial intelligence, and expects to launch its first AI-powered product later this year, the Barbie-maker said on Thursday. The company, which also makes Hot Wheels and Uno cards, plans to "bring the magic of AI to age-appropriate play experiences with an emphasis on innovation, privacy, and safety," it said. The move comes at a time when toy manufacturers are battling muted demand backdrop as consumers rein in spending to brace for the economic fallout of U.S. President Trump's shifting trade policy. Mattel will also incorporate OpenAI's advanced AI tools like ChatGPT Enterprise into its business operations to enhance product innovation, the company said. "With OpenAI, Mattel has access to an advanced set of AI capabilities alongside new tools to enable productivity, creativity, and company-wide transformation at scale," said OpenAI operating chief Brad Lightcap. Over the last year, Mattel has relied on producing films, TV shows and mobile games based on its products such as Hot Wheels and Barbie to offset a slowdown in its core toy business. Last month, Mattel withdrew its annual forecast and said it would raise prices on some products sold domestically in a bid to mitigate higher supply chain costs.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store