Heavy machinery giant JCB is to recruit more than 400 extra workers as it gears up for a surge in production, the company has announced.

The market for construction equipment is said to have rebounded sharply after the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic last spring, which halted production at JCB factories around the world.

More than 400 additional agency employees will be taken on in jobs including assembly, welding and fork lift truck driving.

The Staffordshire-based firm is also giving permanent contracts to up to 300 existing agency employees.

JCB chief operating officer Mark Turner said: “In March 2020 our orders dramatically disappeared overnight when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, and while we were able to protect our shop floor workforce, regrettably many staff positions were impacted.

“It took more than six months for the business to recover to production levels we last saw in March 2020.

“This year has started strongly and our 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.”