JCB secures £3m order for mini diggers

STAFFORDSHIRE excavator manufacturer JCB has secured a £3m order to supply mini-diggers to a UK plant hire company.

Equipment and support services business Speedy is investing in the mini excavators, which are designed for a sector taking on increasing importance for the company.

Speedy has been working with utility customers such as Thames Water and Welsh Water for many years. It wants to supply the most up-to-date equipment to such firms, which is why it has opted for the 8018 machines.

The excavators will be manufactured by JCB Compact Products in Cheadle. The machines are being supplied by dealer Gunn JCB.

The deal includes the supply of a number of the machines in special high visibility paint, which acts like a Hi Vis vest, reflecting vehicle lights and increasing safety for late night repairs.

Yvette Henshall-Bell, JCB UK & Ireland sales director, said: “We worked closely with leading utilities contractors to develop an industry specific version of the 8018 mini excavator and that focus is paying dividends.

“We are delighted with the order from Speedy – it’s a great start to 2012 to win an order from such a respected company for a machine which will provide them with a huge competitive edge in the utilities market.”

Andy Connor, supply chain director at Speedy, said: “We’ve been working in utilities for many years, and this market continues to grow for us. JCB designed this piece of equipment in collaboration with the utilities sector, so procuring it for our customers was a natural step and we expect it to be very popular.”

Special safety measures on the 8018 include a steel panel in place of the lower door window to reduce glass damage to the cab and a weight sensitive seat, which only allows the machine to be driven when the operator is fully seated.