JCB announced an investment of more than £ 50 million in a new British plant which will create hundreds of jobs and double production of cabs used on its machines .

Work is under way on a 350,000 sq ft facility for JCB Cab Systems adjacent to the A50 in Uttoxeter , Staffordshire , next to two existing JCB plants .

The hi-tech factory will have the capacity to produce around 100,000 cabs a year for JCB products , including Loadall telehandlers and Fastrac tractors . It will include a computer controlled production line , fully-automated painting facility and robotic welding and will create more than 200 new jobs by 2022 .

JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald said : “ This new factory will be the most advanced and productive cab facility in the world and will bring even greater levels of efficiency to the business . The investment is one of the biggest in the company ’ s history and underlines our commitment to manufacturing in Britain and in our home county of Staffordshire .”

JCB Cab Systems currently employs more than 400 people at its existing site in Rugeley , Staffs . The new plant is scheduled to open in the summer of 2019 .

JCB Cab Systems ’ General Manager David Carver said : “ While new jobs will be created , moving to the new factory will enable us to double capacity without doubling the workforce thanks to high levels of automation . The whole plant is being designed to improve productivity , reduce waste and provide unprecedented quality levels .”

www . jcb . com

HONDA ( UK ) is out to reclaim the crown for the world ’ s fastest lawn mower with Mean Mower V2 and a target speed of 150mph in its sights . https :// www . youtube . com / watch ? v = LlVQtXLOzcM

Built by Team Dynamics , Honda ’ s British Touring Car Championship partner and the team behind the original Mean Mower that took the record for the world ’ s fastest lawn mower in 2014 , development has moved on to a whole new level . Now using CAD design , more bespoke parts , advanced materials , and 3D printing , it now packs almost double the power of the original , with the development team estimating it is capable of speeds in excess of 150mph .

A key part of the brief was to retain the look of a lawn mower – in this case the Honda HF 2622 lawn tractor – which it does by carrying over its front cowl , grass box and body panels . The second essential element is the ability to still cut grass , which it also still does , thanks to slight revisions to the cutter deck to house the chain running to the rear tyres and the two batteries required to power electric motors which spin carbon fibre blades to mow .

The engine – a 999cc four-cylinder unit taken from Honda ’ s high-performing CBR1000RR Fireblade SP motorcycle - produces more than 190bhp at 13,000rpm . With a super-light frame and engine dry weight of just 69.1kg Team Dynamics engineers predict an eye-watering power to weight ratio of 1000bhp / tonne .

With all this incredible refined raw power , a professional racer is the only choice to tame Mean Mower V2 . Enter Jess Hawkins , an experienced kart and car racer .

www . honda . co . uk / meanmower