His Majesty The King gets a glimpse of JCB Hydrogen future

His Majesty The King was today given a glimpse into the future of JCB hydrogen power as he toured the company’s World Headquarters as part of its 80th birthday celebrations

As JCB prepares to mark the historic milestone, the company is developing an internal combustion engine which is powered by hydrogen, a zero-carbon fuel of the future.

Today His Majesty was given an insight into JCB’s hydrogen technology by Chairman Anthony Bamford during a tour of the company’s Innovation Centre at Rocester, where he was shown one of the first diggers to be powered by JCB hydrogen – and how the machine can be refuelled simply and efficiently in a matter of minutes.

80,000 Hours

That’s a remarkable amount of work hours for a single machine, the Norcar 600 owned by Erkki Rinne is taken well care of, it even has the original Diesel engine.
Kieran Anders Forestry

Kieran Anders is a forestry contractor working in the lake district. His work involves hand cutting and extracting timber using a skidder and tractor-trailer forwarder.
Promoting safety in the workplace

It is not possible to eliminate chain shot, but there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.
Glasfryn Fencing and Sawmill

Arwel takes great pride in the fact that the mill has no waste whatsoever, “the peelings are used for children’s playgrounds, gardens and for farm animals in barns in the winter and the sawdust has multiple uses in gardens and farms as well.
Keeping Timber Hauliers Safe

Timber hauliers need to encourage young blood in, and also look after the hauliers we have, we need make the sector a safe and positive place to work.

FIND US ON

The visit also helped to mark another milestone for JCB – the production of the one millionth JCB backhoe loader digger, an invention which replaced men with shovels, pickaxes and hods and mechanised the labour-intensive process of digging holes and earthmoving around the world.

It is a real honour for us all that that The King has visited JCB to help us celebrate 80 years in business. It was also a great pleasure to show The King the progress we are making with hydrogen powered machines. Today was an occasion that will live long in the memories of everyone who was present.

Lord Bamford | JCB Chairman

The King was welcomed on arrival by Lord and Lady Bamford, George Bamford and JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald before going on a tour of the backhoe loader production line where he helped fit a wheel to a JCB digger.

On a tour of the production line, His Majesty met apprentices Matthew Walker-Stack, 19, of Rugeley, Freddie McCool, 19, of Lichfield, and Eleanor Pitt, of Derby, who is only the second ever female welding apprentice to join the company.

The King spoke to Richard Williams, of Stramshall, near Uttoxeter, General Manager of the Backhoe Loader Business Unit, who has worked at JCB for 38 years. He followed in his father Brian’s footsteps, who completed 33 years’ service as a JCB Production Foreman. Also introduced to The King were Richard’s wife Sarah, who has worked for JCB for almost 35 years and his son Josh, a paint plant operative and his daughter Kaitlan, who works in Production Support.

The visit concluded in the main reception of JCB’s World HQ where The King was shown the one millionth JCB backhoe loader digger which recently rolled off the company’s Rocester production line.

His Majesty was greeted by warm applause from more than 60 guests in the reception, who included members of two families who have a combined service to JCB approaching 1,000 years. Bill Boot first clocked on at JCB in 1949 and 27 members of his family have gone on to work at the company and nine current Boot family employees, including Bill’s great-grandson Leigh, were there to welcome The King today. Ken Harrison, now aged 100, one of the last surviving members of the 1953 team which produced the first JCB backhoe loaders was also in attendance with family members. Ken

Harrison, now aged 100, one of the last surviving members of the 1953 team which produced the first JCB backhoe loaders was also in attendance with family members. Ken and his relatives have amassed more than 350 years’ service to JCB.

Also among the guests in the main reception were long-serving and retired employees and former JCB Academy students, including Rhys Bradbury, 29, of Derby. As a 15-year-old student Rhys had reported on the official opening of the Academy by the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall for the school’s newsletter.

Rhys, who is now JCB’s Regional Sales Manager for Central Europe, Austria and Switzerland, said: “It was fantastic to be involved in today’s visit and a great start to JCB’s 80th anniversary year.”

Also there was JCB-sponsored athlete Adam Burgess sporting his Olympic silver medal, which he secured in Paris last year in the slalom canoe event.

His Majesty unveiled a plaque to mark his visit and as he stepped outside to leave, he was met by the cheers of thousands of flag-waving World HQ JCB employees who lined the route of his departure.