JCB this week opened a new West Coast parts distribution center in Fontana, Calif., its third distribution center in North America.

The new facility is part of JCB’s ongoing commitment to enhance customer support in North America. The distribution center will primarily serve customers in the Mountain and Pacific time zones, helping to reduce freight costs and shorten delivery times. JCB’s other North American parts distribution centers are located in Burlington, Ontario and Savannah, Ga.

“As we expand our North American dealer network, it’s important for us to continue providing each of our customers with the parts they need as quickly as possible,” said John Patterson, chairman and CEO of JCB Inc. “At JCB, we understand that time is money, and with this new distribution center, our customers will be able to benefit from less equipment downtime and enjoy greater productivity on their job sites.”

JCB will use SAP inventory management solutions and Syncron global supply chain management software at its West Coast distribution center, bringing it in line with all of JCB’s distribution facilities around the world.

“The world is changing, and we need to realign our responsibilities accordingly,” Patterson said. “That includes placing a greater emphasis on environmental stewardship and sustainability. Our new distribution center will allow us to ship parts shorter distances, reducing fuel consumption and costs as well as the amount of pollutants created during the transportation process.”

For more information about JCB’s equipment for the construction, agriculture, industrial and waste/recycling markets, visit www.jcbna.com.

JCB has 19 plants on four continents: 11 in the U.K., three in India and others in the U.S., China, Germany and Brazil. Its North American headquarters is in Savannah, Ga.