JCB has reached a historic milestone in manufacturing with the production of its 1 millionth backhoe loader.
JCB’s first backhoe, the Mark One, debuted in 1953. Produced in Rocester, Staffordshire, the Mark One, introduced hydraulic power to construction equipment for the first time.
In its first full year of production, 35 of the machines were built, and it took more than 20 years for JCB to manufacture the first 50,000 machines.
JCB reached the 500,000-machine production milestone 59 years after the debut of the Mark One but reached the 1 million machine milestone less than 13 years later.
“I am the only person in the business now who can remember the early days when we first started to make backhoes in what was a former cheese factory in Rocester,” said JCB Chairman Lord Anthony Bamford.
“Looking back at that time, I could never have imagined that we would make 1 million of these diggers after such humble beginnings. Looking back is a fun thing to do, but it’s always been JCB’s way to look forward, and I’m looking forward to the production of the next one million backhoes.”
JCB now manufactures backhoe loaders in the United Kingdom, India and Brazil. Despite the maturity of the backhoe, it is still one of the biggest selling pieces of construction machinery, and it remains the world’s fourth most popular machine in t construction equipment sales.
The 1 millionth machine
The one millionth JCB backhoe to be produced was a 4CX model. The milestone model has been decorated in graffiti by London-based artist and illustrator Dave Smith and presented to Lord Bamford.
At the celebration to mark the milestone, hundreds of backhoe loader employees lined the road outside JCB’s world headquarters, joining Lord Bamford to watch a cavalcade of 16 backhoes from the company’s history.
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The machines spanned a 1954 Mark One through to a 2025 3CX model. Also joining in the celebrations today was retired JCB employee Ken Harrison, who is 100 years old. Harrison joined JCB as a welder in 1952 when only 29 people worked on the shop floor. He is one of the last known living employees of the production team that built the first JCB backhoes. He retired 36 years later in 1988.
The new JCB era
The backhoe milestone was also celebrated in North America at the ARA Show in Las Vegas. JCB displayed a new 3CX Pro model, decorated with special One millionth insignia to highlight updates to the backhoe line.
The line now features enhanced roading capabilities. With a six-speed auto-shift transmission and a top speed of about 48 km per hour, these machines deliver improved fuel efficiency and reduced travel time
As well, the machines include an updated excavator end design with a new outer box dipper. This design offers improved weight distribution, making it optimal for thumb mounting.
Operators benefit from improved stability and higher lift capacity when handling heavy materials at full reach, ensuring exceptional performance for tasks like material handling and demolition.
The backhoe is also equipped with an upgraded cab that includes an 8-cm display, Bluetooth connectivity, ergonomic joystick controls and improved visibility through larger mirrors and LED work lights. This ensures that operators stay comfortable and focused throughout their shifts.
