One million and counting: JCB mark major backhoe milestone
Company celebrates as one millionth backhoe loader rolls off the production line in Rocester
JCB today [30 January] celebrated a major machine milestone with the production of their one millionth backhoe loader.The first JCB backhoe rolled off the production line in Rocester, Staffordshire, 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 59 years for the first half million JCB backhoes to be manufactured – but less than 13 years for the next half million to be produced, culminating in today’s celebrations.
Despite the maturity of the versatile backhoe loader, 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 today was retired JCB employee Ken Harrison, aged 100, who joined JCB as a welder in 1952 when only 29 people worked on the shop floor. Mr Harrison, one of the last known survivors of the production team that built the first JCB backhoes, retired 36 years later 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 backhoes 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’s always been JCB’s way to look forward and I’m looking forward to the production of the next one million backhoes.’
JCB have always invested heavily in their 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 backhoes 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 50km/h, reducing travel time between sites.
JCB backhoes are now 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 backhoes over the years. The JCB backhoe was even the subject of a song which made the top of the UK charts. And it was a JCB backhoe which robbers used in a failed attempt to steal £350 million worth of diamonds from the Millennium Dome in 2000.
The one millionth JCB backhoe to be produced was a 4CX model, which has been decorated in graffiti art by London-based artist and illustrator Dave Smith, and was presented to Lord Bamford at today’s celebrations.
