Monday, 25 May 2020 13:31

750k and counting

Written by  Staff Reporters

The latest production milestone in the JCB story recently saw its 750,000th backhoe loader, a 3CX, roll off the production line.

The landmark machine was driven off the line at the company’s factory in Rocester, Staffordshire, England – the same location where the first JCB backhoe was manufactured almost 70 years ago. 

The company notes that it was in 1953 that company founder, Joseph Cyril Bamford, produced the JCB backhoe loader that, for the first time, combined a front shovel and rear excavator arm on the same machine. 

In 1954, the first full year of production, just 35 of the machines were produced. It took more than 20 years for the first 50,000 to be made. JCB now manufactures backhoe loaders in the UK, India, Brazil and the US.

The first backhoe, cleverly named the JCB Mark I, was followed by the Hyddra-Digga in 1956, both in a blue and red livery. Then in 1960 came the heavier, more powerful JCB 4 – introducing the now familiar yellow branding.

The JCB 3 went into production in 1961, followed by the JCB 3C in 1963 and the JCB 3CII in 1967. The latter stayed in production for 13 years. 

In 1980, as part of a £24 million investment, the JCB 3CX was launched, which proved to be the real catalyst for growth of backhoe sales and the JCB company.

Fast forward to today, current generation of backhoe loaders include features such as automatic deployment of stabilisers on uneven ground, a Smooth Ride System and the TorqueLock feature that can help reduce on-road fuel consumption by up to 25%. 

More like this

JCB unveils new models

The first of the UK’s agricultural trade shows was recently held at the NEC Centre in Birmingham.

Featured

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

Editorial: No joking matter

OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.

» Latest Print Issues Online

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter