Colourful machine production underway to mark birthday

Production is underway of the first batch of colourful limited edition machines to mark JCB's 70th anniversary. The initial wave of 'Platinum Edition' 3CX backhoe loaders has rolled off the production lines at JCB's World Headquarters at Rocester, Staffordshire in striking livery last seen more than 40 years ago on the JCB 3C III model.

Now the special machines are en route to customers as far afield as Australia and as well as the UK, France, Spain and Russia. A total of 70 of these distinctive limited edition machines will be manufactured – one for every year that JCB has been in business.

JCB Backhoe Loader Managing Director Yvette Henshall-Bell said: “There has been a huge amount of interest in these special backhoes. They look absolutely stunning and we are delighted that customers from all over the world are ordering them.”

The machines come complete with red buckets, full white cab and red wheels instead of the customary black and yellow finish – a livery last seen on the 3CIII model in 1979. The limited edition 3CX backhoes - which have a top speed of 40kph – are fitted with air-conditioned cabs, heated seat and a six-speed Autoshift transmission. And in a nod to the demands of the modern operator, the colourful machines will also be equipped with in-cab coffee makers..

The machines’ new owners also receive special commemorative packs which include a limited edition scale model of the anniversary machine in the same livery as its full-size brother, a scale model of the original 3C backhoe, retro overalls and polo shirt and retro tool bag.

Since JCB’s first was manufactured in 1953, the company has produced more than 600,000 backhoes and now sells them in 120 countries. JCB has also been the world’s biggest manufacturer of backhoes for 15 years in succession with a range that spans 40 models from the compact 1CX through to the mighty 5CX.