JCB
While coming to office, I have been observing a huge construction going on near the Phase I for the past few days. The site is really enormous, must be for some company’s huge office. To lay the foundation and pillars, the whole patch of land was dug up to a depth of approximately 8 – 10 feet. Huge JCBs were easily digging and moving a bucketful of earth. That was a wonderful sight! I wondered how many laborers and days it would have taken to complete that task if it were to be done just using shovels?!
Back in office, I googled a bit for these Machines – the JCBs and the search was quite an interesting read.
JCB stands for Joseph Cyril Bamford – the founder of the JCB Company! And to this day, I was under the impression that JCB is some jargon for the mechanical technology that is used in building those giant machines!
Born in England in 1916, Joe Bamford – or "JCB" as he is generally known – is recognized as the leading pioneer of the backhoe loader concept in Europe.
JCB is a dream of one man – its founder. Bamford started his business in 1945 manufacturing a tipping trailer with a £1 welding set in a 12 ×15 feet garage he rented in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. Though he had limited resources, he had basic engineering skills and the vision to implement his ability in practical problems in abundance. He sold his first machine – a farm tipping trailer, at roughly ₤ 140 in the local market.
By 1948, Joe was employing 6 people. It was then that he turned his attention to making a hydraulic machine – Europe’s first hydraulic tipping trailer. This developed into a hydraulic arm for tractors – called a Si-draulic, one of JCB’s earliest commercial hits.
Soon after this, Joe Bamford applied his engineering knowledge to use hydraulics technology in manufacturing loaders, which led to the concept of Backhoe Loader in 1954. This is now better known as the “JCB”.
Apparently, Joe Bamford was possessive about the JCB brand. In 1958, he bought 10 scooters with the number plates JCB1 to JCB10. JCB over the years has purchased registration plates for all company cars, which incidentally are all white. JCB own numbers 1-14 and 17-20 but JCB 15 and 16 are still missing!
In the 1960s, JCB introduced the 3C machine. This was again a hot selling machine, like the Backhoe Loader, selling around 3000 units in 1964 alone!
Apart from an engineering genius, Bamford was a great marketer, too. The 3C machine had a facility provided in the cab, to boil a kettle for the operator. Of course, this was heartily welcomed by the operators who had to spend continuous hours operating the machine. Bamford, himself, would present these special JCB kettles to the machine operators as a goodwill gesture!
Bamford’s publicity skills were also evident when he began the tradition of JCB ‘stunts’ in the 1960s. Elaborate maneuvers performed in front of the TV cameras – such as driving a car under a machine raised up on its hydraulic arms – showed the versatility and power of the machines and began the tradition of the ‘Dancing Diggers’ shows which are now famous throughout the world.
Entering the North American Market in the 60s, JCB soon became a major player in agricultural and construction vehicle industry. Bamford was aware of the fact that to be a good exporter, he needs to prove the customer why JCB is special and how much care and attention to details is paid while manufacturing the machines. But, JCB was situated in the Midland. The clients had to make a long journey to drop by the JCB factory. Bamford, therefore, bought an aircraft and a helicopter to fly the visitors to Rocester, a tradition that continues to date.
As a distinguished mark of Joe Bamford's achievements, he was awarded the CBE by Queen Elizabeth in 1969 for services to export. He has also received honorary doctorates in Engineering, Technology and Business Administration from several European universities.
Sir Anthony Bamford, son of Joseph Bamford, took over the reigns of JCB and has only expanded the business manifold. Under the leadership of Anthony Bamford, the company began expanding its product range, such as the hugely successful Loadall telescopic handler, wheeled and tracked excavators. By 1994, JCB’s product diversification had paid off, with £140 million of its £565 million sales coming from products launched in the previous five years!
Today, JCB produces over 160 types of machines for uses spanning construction, industry and agriculture. Sales have reached the £1 Billion mark and much of its growth is coming from the new products. The products range from the JCB Micro that can fit through a normal hall door to machines that are as big as houses. In industry terms, they range from mini excavators, backhoe loaders, skid steers, tractors, telescopic handlers, wheel loading shovels, wheeled and tracked excavators and dumpers.
The company is also investing in its India subsidiary, JCB India Ltd, based near Delhi, where it produces 3.000 backhoe loaders per year, as well as Loadalls and wheeled loading shovels.
The company that began as a ‘one man Army’ now employs over 5,000 people and has bases in the UK, the USA, India and South America. It also sells a full range of equipment in over 150 countries.
Well, the statistics themselves are convincing enough of the success JCB has achieved today. But I believe, and as I have said in the earlier Gyan as well, that any entrepreneur’s dream would be to see his product / company to be so popular that it would be used as a synonym for some activity. Today, the dictionary description for JCB reads like: JCB n. Trademark. A type of construction machine with a hydraulically operated shovel on the front and an excavator arm on the back (named from the initials of Joseph Cyril Bamford, its English manufacturer). Well, looking over from the Heaven, Joe Bamford would surely be more than happy…
Regards,
Abhishek
Back in office, I googled a bit for these Machines – the JCBs and the search was quite an interesting read.
JCB stands for Joseph Cyril Bamford – the founder of the JCB Company! And to this day, I was under the impression that JCB is some jargon for the mechanical technology that is used in building those giant machines!
Born in England in 1916, Joe Bamford – or "JCB" as he is generally known – is recognized as the leading pioneer of the backhoe loader concept in Europe.
JCB is a dream of one man – its founder. Bamford started his business in 1945 manufacturing a tipping trailer with a £1 welding set in a 12 ×15 feet garage he rented in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. Though he had limited resources, he had basic engineering skills and the vision to implement his ability in practical problems in abundance. He sold his first machine – a farm tipping trailer, at roughly ₤ 140 in the local market.
By 1948, Joe was employing 6 people. It was then that he turned his attention to making a hydraulic machine – Europe’s first hydraulic tipping trailer. This developed into a hydraulic arm for tractors – called a Si-draulic, one of JCB’s earliest commercial hits.
Soon after this, Joe Bamford applied his engineering knowledge to use hydraulics technology in manufacturing loaders, which led to the concept of Backhoe Loader in 1954. This is now better known as the “JCB”.
Apparently, Joe Bamford was possessive about the JCB brand. In 1958, he bought 10 scooters with the number plates JCB1 to JCB10. JCB over the years has purchased registration plates for all company cars, which incidentally are all white. JCB own numbers 1-14 and 17-20 but JCB 15 and 16 are still missing!
In the 1960s, JCB introduced the 3C machine. This was again a hot selling machine, like the Backhoe Loader, selling around 3000 units in 1964 alone!
Apart from an engineering genius, Bamford was a great marketer, too. The 3C machine had a facility provided in the cab, to boil a kettle for the operator. Of course, this was heartily welcomed by the operators who had to spend continuous hours operating the machine. Bamford, himself, would present these special JCB kettles to the machine operators as a goodwill gesture!
Bamford’s publicity skills were also evident when he began the tradition of JCB ‘stunts’ in the 1960s. Elaborate maneuvers performed in front of the TV cameras – such as driving a car under a machine raised up on its hydraulic arms – showed the versatility and power of the machines and began the tradition of the ‘Dancing Diggers’ shows which are now famous throughout the world.
Entering the North American Market in the 60s, JCB soon became a major player in agricultural and construction vehicle industry. Bamford was aware of the fact that to be a good exporter, he needs to prove the customer why JCB is special and how much care and attention to details is paid while manufacturing the machines. But, JCB was situated in the Midland. The clients had to make a long journey to drop by the JCB factory. Bamford, therefore, bought an aircraft and a helicopter to fly the visitors to Rocester, a tradition that continues to date.
As a distinguished mark of Joe Bamford's achievements, he was awarded the CBE by Queen Elizabeth in 1969 for services to export. He has also received honorary doctorates in Engineering, Technology and Business Administration from several European universities.
Sir Anthony Bamford, son of Joseph Bamford, took over the reigns of JCB and has only expanded the business manifold. Under the leadership of Anthony Bamford, the company began expanding its product range, such as the hugely successful Loadall telescopic handler, wheeled and tracked excavators. By 1994, JCB’s product diversification had paid off, with £140 million of its £565 million sales coming from products launched in the previous five years!
Today, JCB produces over 160 types of machines for uses spanning construction, industry and agriculture. Sales have reached the £1 Billion mark and much of its growth is coming from the new products. The products range from the JCB Micro that can fit through a normal hall door to machines that are as big as houses. In industry terms, they range from mini excavators, backhoe loaders, skid steers, tractors, telescopic handlers, wheel loading shovels, wheeled and tracked excavators and dumpers.
The company is also investing in its India subsidiary, JCB India Ltd, based near Delhi, where it produces 3.000 backhoe loaders per year, as well as Loadalls and wheeled loading shovels.
The company that began as a ‘one man Army’ now employs over 5,000 people and has bases in the UK, the USA, India and South America. It also sells a full range of equipment in over 150 countries.
Well, the statistics themselves are convincing enough of the success JCB has achieved today. But I believe, and as I have said in the earlier Gyan as well, that any entrepreneur’s dream would be to see his product / company to be so popular that it would be used as a synonym for some activity. Today, the dictionary description for JCB reads like: JCB n. Trademark. A type of construction machine with a hydraulically operated shovel on the front and an excavator arm on the back (named from the initials of Joseph Cyril Bamford, its English manufacturer). Well, looking over from the Heaven, Joe Bamford would surely be more than happy…
Regards,
Abhishek
posted by Gyan for the Day! | 7:29 pm
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