Iconic JCB celebrates its 70th birthday in style!

JCB is celebrating 70 years of manufacturing its iconic backhoe loader with the unveiling Platinum Editions of the 3CX and 4CX models. 

JCB founder Joseph Cyril Bamford CBE invented the backhoe concept and the first JCB model was manufactured in 1953 after he combined a lightweight backhoe with a Major Loadall tractor loader. It created, for the first time, a single machine which combined a front shovel and rear excavator arm.

While it took 20 years for JCB to build its first 50,000 backhoes, under the leadership of JCB chairman, Anthony Bamford, more than 900,000 have now been made. JCB has been world market leader for backhoes for almost 25 years and today manufactures the iconic machine in the UK, India and Brazil. A total of 70 limited-edition 70th birthday 3CX PRO and 4CX PRO machines will be manufactured.

Lord Bamford said: “The backhoe loader is an incredibly versatile machine and thanks to continued innovation and evolution, it remains just as relevant today as the day it was first invented. The JCB backhoe loader remains one of the most popular pieces of construction equipment in the world and it has a very exciting future ahead of it.” 

The Platinum Edition models will have servo excavator controls, Powerslide, air conditioning and bi-directional auxiliary flow hydraulics. The machines will bear limited edition ‘Platinum’ decals and grille badge. They will have Platinum-coloured wheels while, in the cab, there will be an embroidered graphic in the carpet and upgraded seat material with ’70th anniversary’ branding, plus a steering wheel centre cap featuring the ’70th’ logo. Each machine will also have a special plaque and customers will receive a special Platinum gift pack with the backhoe loader. 

Over the past seven decades, JCB has continued to develop and enhance the backhoe loader concept, with turbocharged engines, powershift transmissions, all-wheel drive and extending dipper arms. The machine has broadened in appeal, with the launch of the skid-steer-based 1CX, the all-wheel steer 3CX Compact and the larger 4CX and 5CX equal-sized wheel machines.

This news item comes from the latest issue of Old Glory, and you can get a money-saving subscription to this magazine simply by clicking HERE