JCB marks 70th birthday with new German HQ

It will be an extra special Agritechnica show for employees of JCB Germany as they prepare to move into a new €25 million headquarters in Cologne and celebrate a double anniversary – 50 years of JCB business in the country and 70 years since the founding of JCB itself.

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The date on which the late Joseph Cyril Bamford formed JCB – October 23, 1945 – also has double significance, since it was the day that his son Anthony – now Lord Bamford – was born.

At JCB Headquarters in Rocester, UK, the significant date was marked by the unveiling of a special limited edition JCB backhoe loader – the type of machine that fuelled JCB’s global success – and a day’s holiday for employees.

There will be just 70 examples of the limited edition backhoe, finished in a striking livery last seen nearly 40 years ago on the JCB 3CIII model with red buckets, full white cab and red wheels instead of the customary black and yellow finish. And to reflect the demands of the modern operator, each of the colourful machines will be equipped with an in-cab coffee maker.

Lord Bamford, who now as Chairman oversees a business with 22 factories and more than 12,000 employees around the World, said: “The backhoe-loader was the building block for the success of JCB and while we now produce many other different types of machines for construction, agriculture and industrial applications, it remains one of our most important products.”

He added that JCB and its people should be very proud of what has been achieved over the past 70 years: “Seventy years is a long time,” he said. “But while we are proud of our past, we are really only interested in the future and the products of tomorrow. That is what makes me and all our people tick.”

There is strong evidence of that philosophy throughout the products on JCB’s Agritechnica exhibition stand, where staff will represent many of the markets in which the company successfully sells its machinery.

Once the show is over, team members of JCB Germany will prepare to move into their new premises covering more than 51,000 m² at the junction of the A1 and A4 to the west of Cologne, a location that provides excellent access to the city centre and its airport.

Announcing the initiative last year, Lord Bamford said: “We continue to make good progress in Germany with both construction and agricultural machinery sales and the country will play an important role in delivering our global growth plans over the next few years.”

JCB Germany’s new premises and its biggest ever investment will be double the size of the previous headquarters with modern office space, product and workshop training resources for dealers, customer visit facilities and a showroom displaying new JCB products.

Frank Zander, Managing Director, JCB Germany said: “This will be a fantastic facility for the German market and JCB’s customers. It will enable us to take the sales and service support we offer to completely new levels and help ensure we grow the business.”