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To celebrate its 70-year milestone, JCB has committed to produce 70 Platinum 3CX models and four 4CX loaders for sale worldwide.
It's remarkable that it is now 70 years since the first JCB backhoe loader was released on an unsuspecting world.
The machine has gone on to become a mainstay of construction and agriculture sectors around the world. To date, more than 900,000 units have been sold.
The concept dates to the early 1950s when Joseph Cyril Bamford (JCB) produced a front loader designed specifically for the popular Fordson Major tractor. In 1953, he combined this with a rear-mounted digging arm to create what we now know as the JCB. However, at that stage, it still remained an adaptation of a tractor rather than a purpose-built machine.
The backhoe element was based on a design that Bamford had brought back from Norway, although there is little record of how it was being used in that country. When it actually became a purpose-built machine is something that continues to be discussed – particularly by one of JCB’s competitors who produced its own version in 1957.
The JCB Hydra-Digga of the same year certainly marked a turning point in having a purposedesigned cab but still built around a Fordson. Ten years after the original machine, the arrival of the iconic 3C model certainly put JCB on the map. This revolutionised the construction sector – in particular – becoming the grandaddy of the current ranges.
The JCB Hydra-Digga of the same year certainly marked a turning point in having a purposedesigned cab but still built around a Fordson. Ten years after the original machine, the arrival of the iconic 3C model certainly put JCB on the map. This revolutionised the construction sector – in particular – becoming the grandaddy of the current ranges.
Since that time, the layout has been applied to larger and smaller models. The addition of a driven front axle to the wide range of models has added versatility and durability.
The JCB production facility at Rocester, in Staffordshire, is still the home for the production and the company headquarters, where the arrival of the one millionth JCB is expected very soon.
To celebrate this milestone, the company has committed to produce 70 Platinum 3CX models and four 4CX loaders for sale worldwide. The Platinum edition models will include servo excavator controls, Powerslide, air conditioning and bi-directional auxiliary flow hydraulics. These machines will carry limited edition Platinum decals and grille badges and Platinum-coloured wheels. In the cabin, there will be an embroidered graphic in the carpet and upgraded seat material with 70th anniversary branding. The steering wheel centre cap will feature the 70th logo and each machine will carry a commemorative plaque. Customers will also receive a special platinum gift pack with the backhoe loader.
Notwithstanding, the greatest accolade of all is that JCB has now become the generic term for a backhoe loader. Just as Hoover became the name for vacuum cleaners and how GPS has become the same for satellite navigation systems – a remarkable achievement in itself.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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