JCB announces one of its largest ever orders worth £53m

STAFFORDSHIRE excavator manufacturer JCB has announced one of the biggest single orders in its history – a 900-machine deal from a UK plant hire firm worth more than £53m.

The order, placed by Ipswich plant hirer Fork Rent, is for the Loadall telescopic handler and the machines, manufactured at JCB’s Rocester headquarters, will be supplied throughout the remainder of 2013.

JCB said the deal cemented Fork Rent’s position as the UK’s biggest hirer of the product, with the most modern fleet of this type of machine.

Fork Rent, which has a 25-year relationship with JCB, also becomes the first major plant hire company to buy the new 540-200 Loadall, Europe’s highest-reach rigid frame telescopic handler, which is capable of reaching a height of 20 metres.  

JCB’s UK & Ireland Sales Director Dan Thompstone said: “Fork Rent’s reputation for investing in modern and up-to-date machines is well known across the industry.
JCB’s reputation for innovation in construction equipment is equally well-known. So we’re delighted that Fork Rent is investing in machines that will deliver meaningful benefits to their customers, with fuel-efficient JCB Ecomax engines for lower running costs and 540-200 models offering much higher reach.”

Fork Rent chairman Guy Nicholls said: “Fork Rent and JCB have a great working relationship that spans over 25 years and that enables us to provide our customers with the latest technology and most highly specified machines. This latest investment in new plant delivers on our commitment to offer customers the highest level of service back up in our industry, reliability and peace of mind.”

Many of the 540-200 models are fitted with JCB’s new and unique Ecomax Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB engines, which are manufactured at the firm’s engine factory in Foston, Derbyshire.

“Fork Rent strives to be at the cutting edge of developments in the materials handling industry. As the first company to invest in JCB 540-200s, we can rightly claim to be reaching new heights in our industry with these machines. With fuel-efficient JCB Ecomax engines under the bonnet, customers can also look forward to lower fuel costs as well as exceptional reach. We are also proud to have bought more JCB telehandlers than any other UK company,” added Nicholls.

Fork Rent is the UK’s largest privately-owned self drive plant hire company and has a fleet of over 3,000 machines including JCB backhoe loaders, compact excavators, large excavators, dumpers, access equipment and utility vehicles.

It purchased its first JCB machine in 1987, and since then, the company has invested in more than 5,500 of its machines, which are supplied through dealer Watling JCB.

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