Success of JCB's Backhoe celebrated with Queens award

The global success of JCB's most iconic product was honoured today with the presentation of a Queen's Award marking a huge growth in overseas sales. Exports of the JCB backhoe loader increased by almost 150% from 2009 to 2011, earning the company a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.

Today HM Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Ian Dudson CBE, presented the Award to Backhoe Loader Business Unit Managing Director Steve Carrington in the presence of the division's 750 employees.

Mr Dudson said: "I am delighted to present the Queen's Award for Enterprise, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, to the JCB Backhoe Loader Business Unit. The award is the UK's most prestigious accolade for recognising and celebrating business success.

The huge rise in export sales of the backhoe loader is underpinned by excellence throughout the company and the unit. Everyone in Staffordshire offers our warmest congratulations to the company and its employees and shares in their pride."

At the shopfloor ceremony, JCB CEO Alan Blake said: "JCB has been the recipient of 27 Queen's Awards since its first in 1969 and in that time the Backhoe Loader business has won six of those awards. No other business unit at JCB has such a successful record of winning Queen's Awards and this latest one comes on the eve of a very special milestone.

"In 2013 JCB celebrates 60 years of making backhoe loaders; six decades of manufacturing a product that is now iconic and one which has helped not only put Staffordshire on the map, but also helped promote Britain as a centre of manufacturing excellence.

"JCB has been World Number One for backhoe loaders for 12 consecutive years and that is not only testament to the quality and innovation that goes into manufacturing JCB backhoes, it is also an immense tribute to each and every one of our employees involved in design, production and sale of this machine."

The backhoe loader was pioneered by JCB's late founder Joseph Cyril Bamford in 1953 and the company now manufactures the machine on three continents: at the company's World HQ in Rocester, Staffordshire ; in Delhi, India and in São Paulo, Brazil.

The backhoe is sold in more than 120 different countries. As well as strengthening ties in established markets, such as Russia and the CIS, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, JCB has also opened up new markets over the last three years, including Latin America and Africa.

For further information contact: Nigel Chell JCB Press Office
Tel: 01889 590312 Fax: 01889593455 E-mail: nigel.chell@jcb.com www.jcb.com