JCB: the British brand that became a word

JCB is the world's third-largest construction equipment manufacturer and the largest privately owned one. Its yellow machines are so common in the UK and Ireland that "JCB" is used as a generic word for any backhoe loader or digger, and the brand is huge in India, where it is the market leader.

History

Joseph Cyril Bamford started the business in a rented garage in Uttoxeter on 23 October 1945, building a farm tipping trailer from war-surplus steel. In 1953 he built the first JCB backhoe loader in Europe, combining a hydraulic excavator and a loading shovel on a tractor. The legendary 3CX arrived in 1980. In 1977 JCB invented the Loadall telehandler, now a category of its own. Under Lord Anthony Bamford, the company expanded into excavators, engines (JCB Dieselmax), Fastrac tractors and, more recently, hydrogen combustion engines.

What JCB is known for

• Backhoe loaders, where JCB is the global leader.
• Telehandlers: the 540-170 Loadall and its siblings dominate construction and farm sites in Europe.
• Innovation: the electric 19C-1E mini excavator, the Hydradig wheeled excavator and hydrogen engines.
• Own engines, built in Derbyshire and India, which give JCB control over emissions technology.

Buying advice

JCB parts and service are widely available in the UK, Europe, India and the Middle East. In North America, dealer density varies more by region, so check the nearest dealer before buying.