Over 70 years after the first JCB backhoe rolled off the production line in Rocester, Staffordshire, England, backhoe #1,000,000 – a 4CX covered in graffiti-style art – has been delivered to JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford.
Hundreds of JCB employees, including 100-year-old retired JCB welder Ken Harrison who was part of the first production team, gathered to watch the 4CX be presented to Bamford.
The hand-drawn custom design, courtesy of London-based mural artist Hatch, features references to JCB and its history and was fueled by Hatch’s tour of the JCB museum.
Watch a video of the ceremony and an explanation of Hatch’s artistic decisions at the end of this story.
The first JCB backhoe, known as the Mark One, was manufactured in the same UK facility in 1953, bringing hydraulic power to the construction equipment industry. Today, JCB backhoes are also made in India and Brazil and sold in 120 countries.
The first 500,000 JCB backhoes were made over 59 years, but the second 500,000 were made in just 13 years. In 1954, JCB built 35 backhoes, and it wasn’t until 20 years later that production would pass the 50,000 mark.
Today, JCB’s product lineup includes telehandlers, tracked and wheeled excavators, mini excavators, skid steer loaders, compaction equipment and tractors.
JCB rolled out its next-generation 3CX and 4CX backhoe loaders at the 2025 ARA Show, featuring upgraded transmissions for enhanced road traveling performance.
