OCTOBER 2019 GBF – JCB
Great British
Factories
This month’s look at the factories that made Britain
In 1945, after serving in the Royal Air Force,
Joseph Cyril Bamford bought a welding
set and rented a small garage in Uttoxeter,
Staff ordshire. Using the welding set, which
he bought second-hand for £2.50, he made his
fi rst vehicle, a tipper trailer from war-surplus
materials. The trailer’s sides and fl oor were made
from steel sheet that had been part of air raid
shelters. On the same day as his son Anthony
(Lord Bamford) was born, he sold the trailer at
a nearby market for £45 (plus a part-exchanged
farm cart) and at once made another trailer.
Taking Bamford’s initials, JCB was born.
In a little less than three years since JCB
started, Joseph Bamford launched the Major
Loader. Engineered for versatility, it was
Europe’s fi rst industrial front-end loader.
Making light work of lifting, pushing, scooping
and bulldozing tasks, it revolutionised the
agricultural industry. Initially designed to bolt
it exported to France in an adaptable kit form.
Towards the end of 1949, Joseph Bamford
with around an acre of land. This was chosen
as the site for the new JCB HQ, which grew to
become JCB World Headquarters, occupying
over 175 acres.
In 1962, Joseph Bamford originated the
‘up and over’, in which a JCB 4 lifted itself up on
its two hydraulic arms to form a bridge, while
the company Cadillac was driven underneath
(see main picture). This evolved into the JCB
Dancing Diggers shows, which are now famous
throughout the world.
By 1969, JCB exported over half the machines
it manufactured. In recognition of Joseph
Bamford’s business success, JCB received its
fi rst Queen’s Award to Industry for Export
Achievement. That same year, Joseph Bamford
received the CBE for his services to exports. By
2016, JCB had won a total of 30 Queen’s Awards,
making it the UK record holder of the accolade.
Joseph Bamford retired in 1975 after 30 years
at the helm to allow “younger management to
show its strengths”, with his son, Lord Bamford,
taking over.
In the years that followed, JCB launched
many new trucks that helped shape the
JCB celebrated the production of the
In 2008, the company opened a new
41,800m2 factory builds JCB
750,000th
machine. The one millionth machine was built
electric excavator – the quietest digger in its
range and one delivering zero emissions.
With 7,500 employees in its 11 factories in
the UK exporting over 75% of production, JCB
generates export revenues of £1.35 billion and
makes a positive contribution to the nation’s
trade balance. The company’s machines are
even used at the Diggerland theme parks in
Kent, Devon, Durham and Yorkshire.
7,500
people are employed
at JCB’s 11 factories
across the UK
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great sees us dig up the history of JCB
industry, included the JCB 520 Telescopic
Handler, the JCB 3CX Sitemaster (a backhoe
truck) and the JCB GT, which is capable of
reaching over 100mph. In 1991, after four
machines ranging from seven to 46 tonnes.
HRH Prince William also visited JCB to help
celebrate another major JCB milestone:
the production of the company’s 750,000
in 2013 and was unveiled by Lord Bamford at
JCB’s 2013 product conference. The company
made history with the unveiling of its fi rst ever
All images: JCB
onto Fordson Major tractors (hence the name),
began to look for larger premises closer to home
in Staff ordshire. Bill Hirst, JCB’s fi rst apprentice,
spotted an old cheese-making factory in Rocester
tradition of JCB stunts. The fi rst of these was the
years in development, £12 million invested and
countless consultations with farmers, Joseph
Bamford launched the world’s fi rst genuine
high-speed, tractor: the Fastrac 125 and 145.
500,000th machine in 2004 and broke the
land speed record for diesel engines in 2006.
A car was built that was powered by two JCB
standard 444 engines producing an incredible
1500HP. This car achieved a record speed of
350.092mph on Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
£40-million factory just outside Uttoxeter,
Staff ordshire. The 41,800m
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