JCB has launched a major recruitment drive as the company gears up for a surge in agricultural machinery production.
The UK construction firm is looking to recruit more than 400 additional agency employees as markets have 'rebounded sharply'.
The jobs include those in assembly, welding and fork lift truck drivers, and the firm is also giving permanent contracts to up to 300 existing employees.
It follows the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in spring 2020, which halted production at JCB factories around the world.
Chief Operating Officer Mark Turner said March 2020 orders 'dramatically disappeared overnight' when the crisis took hold.
"While we were able to protect our shop floor workforce, regrettably many staff positions were impacted," he said.
"It took more than six months for the business to recover to production levels we last saw in March 2020."
But this year has started strongly, he added, and 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.”
