UK equipment maker JCB has broken ground on a 67,000 sq m, $500m factory in San Antonio, Texas.

Set on a 400-acre plot, the factory will build Loadall telescopic handlers, JCB’s best selling product in North America. It will also make aerial access equipment, and may expand to other products in the future.

The facility will create an estimated 1,500 jobs across the next five years. It will become the manufacturer’s second largest plant after its headquarters in Staffordshire, in the UK.

Lord Bamford, JCB’s chairman, said: “Construction equipment manufacturers sell more than 300,000 machines every year in North America, making it the single largest market in the world.

“JCB has been growing its share of this important market steadily over the past few years and the time is now right to invest in our manufacturing capacity.”

Greg Abbott, Texas’ governor, said: “‘Made in Texas’ is truly a powerful global brand, and I look forward to celebrating JCB’s continuing success as we work together to build a bigger, better Texas for decades to come.”

Equipment production at the factory is due to begin in 2026.

This is JCB’s second factory in the US and was announced in October. The company has 22 factories, including 11 in the UK and others in India, Brazil and China.