San Antonio's South Side is set for a seismic shift, with UK-based heavy equipment giant JCB gearing up to construct a new manufacturing behemoth on a sprawling 400-acre site. Teased with a nearly $32 million pie of incentives, this mammoth move is expected to spur economic vibrancy in the area, as per details shared by local officials this week.
The City Council is prepping for an April 4 approval dance for a $13.74 million incentive package, while Bexar County has its own roughly $12 million platter on the table, looking to seal the deal with JCB. As if casting a financial spell, the tax abatements and fund grants conjure a strategic location pick, with JCB's commitment to sink a minimum of $265.7 million into the venture and conjure up no less than 1,580 full-time jobs by the bow out of 2028, San Antonio Report laid out.
The city's clever crafting of a 10-year, 90% tax abatement dangles a $10.4 million carrot before JCB, partly due to the site's high score on the city's Equity Atlas. There's more green on the table – up to $2.35 million in Economic Development Incentive Fund grants, $1 million in city fee waivers, and half a mil in SAWS fee waivers. Add to this, JCB is touted to become a "triple jumbo" in the Texas Enterprise Zone project, which could line their pockets with a $3.75 million state refund over a span of five years.
From Bexar County's coffers, a lavish 100% tax abatement awaits JCB's property investments over a decade, worth about $6.5 million, There's, even more, grease for the wheels, with a $5 million grant for those pesky off-site public infrastructure improvements. And the county commissioners, they're all in – a unanimous vote to push their proposed agreement forward, per San Antonio Report's coverage.
The scoop served by a Bexar County document showcases an array of jobs from the ground up, with heartening tidbits about no educational barriers for certain roles and the possibility of snagging a seat with $21.81 an hour on the low side. Higher up the pay grade, folks could reel in between $20.55 and $29.99 per hour in the JCB ranks. "This comprehensive benefits package showcases JCB's dedication to the well-being and financial security of its workforce," the company professed in its application.
JCB's play isn't without its shackles, though. The city has made it crystal clear: fall short on the investment and job promise by the 2028 deadline, and there's going to be a recapture, taking back city funds and fee waivers. Bexar County sets its own watch, with eyes peeled for the 1,000-employee milestone by 2027. As spelled out by the county's economic development big gun David Marquez, "All the incentives are back-loaded, meaning they only have value once they actually start to deliver on their promises and commitments," he told San Antonio Report.
There's a hush about exactly what JCB will be crafting in their San Antonio stronghold but whispers from a county presentation hint at telescopic handlers and aerial work platforms, expanding JCB's global production map beyond the UK and India. JCB Texas operations guru David Carver has sights set on May 2026 to kickstart production, bringing a slice of British engineering prowess to Texan soil.
