2 minute read - 10th November 2023
JCB celebrates 70 years of backhoe loader production
JCB is celebrating 70 years of manufacturing its iconic backhoe loader with the unveiling of platinum editions of the 3CX and 4CX models.
Company founder Joseph Cyril Bamford CBE invented the backhoe concept, with the first JCB model being 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 50,000 backhoes, under the leadership of JCB chairman Anthony Bamford, more than 900,000 have now been made. Today, JCB manufactures the machine in the UK, India, and Brazil. A total of 70 limited edition 70th birthday 3CX PRO and 4 CX PRO machines will be made.
Never miss the latest manufacturing news by signing up to our newsletter here
900,000 not out! JCB is celebrating the 70th birthday of its iconic backhoe loader / Picture: JCB
JCB chairman, 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, along with 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.
Over the last 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.