As emissions regulations tighten their grip, JCB has announced plans for a new £31 million engine development project in the UK.

The new engines will be installed in JCB’s own products and sold to third parties, with the move set to create up to 350 design and engineering jobs across its Midlands and Wales plants over the next four years, the company claim.

The manufacturing giant first began producing its own Dieselmax engines at its Derbyshire plant in 2004, and its own engines now power more than 70% of the company’s equipment range.

Production of its new Tier 4 engine is set to begin next year after high demand for the firm’s Ecomax T4 engine range, while this year also saw a new engine production facility in India to supply the ever-growing Asian market.