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2022
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One million JCB Backhoe milestone celebrated

Posted on 31 Jan 2025. Edited by: John Hunter. Read 1188 times.
One million JCB Backhoe milestone celebratedStaffordshire-based JCB yesterday celebrated a major milestone with the production of its one-millionth Backhoe Loader — the first one rolled off the production line in Rocester in 1953. Called the Mark One, it brought the new wonder of hydraulic power to construction equipment for the first time. In the first full year of production, in 1954, just 35 of the machines were built and it took more than 20 years for the first 50,000 to be made. It took a further 59 years for the first half a million JCB Backhoe Loaders to be manufactured – but less than 13 years for the next half a million to be produced, culminating in yesterday’s celebrations.

JCB now manufactures backhoe loaders in the UK, India and Brazil, and it remains one of the most versatile and productive machines in the world. Despite the maturity of the versatile machine, it is still one of the biggest-selling pieces of construction machinery and it remains the world’s fourth most-popular machine in the construction equipment sales league table.

Today hundreds of Backhoe Loader employees lined the road outside JCB’s World HQ, joining company chairman Anthony Bamford to watch a cavalcade of 16 Backhoes from down the ages. These spanned a 1954 Mark I through to a 2025 3CX model. Also joining in the celebrations was retired JCB employee Ken Harrison, aged 100, who joined JCB as a welder in 1952 when only 29 people worked on the shopfloor. One of the last known survivors of the production team that built the first JCB backhoes, Ken retired in 1988.

Lord Bamford said: “I am the only person in the business now who can remember the early days when we first started to make Backhoe Loaders in what was a former cheese factory in Rocester. Looking back at that time, I could never have imagined that we would make one million of these diggers after such humble beginnings. Looking back is a fun thing to do but it has always been JCB’s way to look forward and I am looking forward to the production of the next one million Backhoe Loaders.”

Catalyst for growth

JCB has always invested heavily in its Backhoe Loader range and an early catalyst for growth was in 1980 which saw the £24 million launch of the technologically advanced 3CX. Customers then went on to reap the fuel-saving benefits of the launch of JCB Backhoe Loaders powered by the JCB Dieselmax, a development which saves up to 11% in fuel costs. Today’s 3CX Pro is the fastest Backhoe Loader in the world, capable of speeds up to 50kph, reducing travel time between sites.

As well as Backhoe Loaders, JCB also manufactures Loadall telescopic handers, tracked and wheeled excavators, wheeled loading shovels, mini and micro excavators, skid steer loaders, track loaders, compaction equipment, rough terrain forklifts and Fastrac tractors. JCB Backhoe Loaders are manufactured in the UK, India and Brazil and the company sells the product in 120 different countries. The business unit which manufactures the machines has previously won six Queen’s Awards.

Royalty, Prime Ministers, politicians and TV stars have all been photographed in the cab of JCB Backhoe Loaders over the years. It was the subject of a song which made the top of the UK charts and was even used by robbers in a failed attempt to steal £350 million worth of diamonds from the Millennium Dome in 2000.

The one-millionth JCB Backhoe Loader to be produced was a 4CX model, which has been decorated in graffiti art by London-based artist and illustrator Dave Smith, who presented it to Lord Bamford at yesterday’s celebrations (pictured above).