Two major global manufacturers in the agricultural and construction industries have defied the mild capping of optimism recently reported by CEMA and are out looking for additional staff.
In the UK, JCB has announced that it is further increasing the number of shop floor staff by seeking an extra 500 employees "as demand for its machinery continues to soar," according to the company.
The company is planning on the additional agency employees at its 11 plants in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham in the UK – on top of the 850 shop floor jobs already created so far in 2021.
JCB claims that there is an unprecedented demand for its construction and agricultural products, with most new machines already sold out until next year.
JCB CEO, Graeme Macdonald said:
The recovery continues to gather momentum and we have tens of thousands of new machine orders sitting on our books stretching well into next year. We have never seen anything like this in the 75-year history of JCB."
The salary for shop floor roles has also risen once already this year and now stands at £11.35/hour.
Manufacturers globally seek extra staff
In Canada another company involved in construction, agriculture and forestry has also announced that it is looking for 1,000 extra staff across all its factories and offices.
The Brandt Group, based in Saskatchewan, produces chaser bins, conveying equipment, cultivators and other products aimed at the large tillage farmer.
Chaser bins and track assemblies are just two of Brandt's products
In the past 10 years, Brandt has expanded its workforce by 140% to more than 3,400. The newly announced hiring initiative will see the company’s workforce grow by 30% overall.
Inclusivity aids recruitment
The news that two large manufacturing companies have the confidence to seek large increases in their workforce indicates that both the agricultural and construction machinery industries are presently enjoying a period of prosperity.
There is, though, something of a fly in the ointment and that is a shortage of recruits - a situation which has caused the US-based Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) to issue guidance on diversity and inclusion within the workforce.
The association notes that those companies which implement a programme to ensure a diverse workplace enjoy lower staff turnover, easier recruitment and more engaged employees.
