Shannon Ramczykowski, 22, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, is the most recent recruit to the backhoe loader business, joining the company less than a year ago. It is a marvellous achievement and to be part of it is fantastic.”
The JCB Backhoe Group Leader said: “I am very proud to be a part of this special production milestone. Today as Phil - the longest serving employee in the backhoe loader business unit - joined in the celebrations for the production of the 750,000 th model, he reflected on his contribution to the success story. When Phil Starbuck, 60, of Foxt, near Leek, Staffordshire joined JCB in 1975 as an apprentice straight from school, JCB had made just over 50,000 backhoe loaders. It really is testament to the versatility of the machine that its popularity continues to endure and will see it continue to prosper in the future.” What’s even more incredible is that the backhoe remains one of the world’s most popular pieces of construction equipment almost seven decades after the first was produced. JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “Some of my earliest childhood memories are of watching our first backhoe loaders being produced at Rocester and it’s incredible to think we have now manufactured 750,000. The 750,000th model is a Special Edition of JCB’s latest 3CX backhoe loader, bearing a unique livery and comprehensive specification. JCB now manufactures backhoe loaders in the UK, India, Brazil and the USA.
1980 JCB 3CX FULL
In its first full year of production in 1954, just 35 of the machines were produced and it took more than 20 years for the first 50,000 to be made. It was in 1953 that company founder, the late Joseph Cyril Bamford CBE, conceived the idea of the JCB backhoe loader, which created, for the first time, a single machine which combined a front shovel and rear excavator arm.