JCB managing director John Patterson

The year 2005 was the most successful in telehandler manufacturer JCB's 60-year-history, setting new records. Machine production, sales turnover and profit reached "all-time highs", a JCB statement said.

JCB's pre-tax profit for 2005 totalled GBP110 million (USD203 million), double the figure for 2004. Global production exceeded 45,000 machines, up 21 per cent on 2004. Sales turnover jumped to GBP1.42 billion (USD2.62 billion), up 23 per cent and JCB's global market share moved from 8.6 per cent to 9.6 per cent.

John Patterson, JCB managing director and CEO, said the company would grow significantly in the next five years.

"In 2001 we manufactured 120 different products. We have now more than doubled the models offered to 257," he said.

Increased production volume has seen a rise in JCB employees. More than 600 new jobs were created in 2005, 400 of which were UK-based. Today, about 6,300 people work for JCB.

In 2005 there were "huge increases" in production of JCB's fuel-efficient diesel engine, manufactured at JCB Power Systems, in Foston, Derbyshire. The engine was launched in November 2004.

The acquisition of Vibromax, Germany, in July 2005, took JCB into the compaction equipment market
(Forkliftaction.com News #218).

A second JCB plant in India has been completed, where excavators will be manufactured. (Forkliftaction.com News #239). JCB's first Chinese factory in Shanghai has been completed and will begin producing backhoe loaders and midi excavators in October (Forkliftaction.com News #201).

JCB now has 17 plants on four continents: 10 in the UK, three in India and others in the USA, Brazil, China and Germany. According to JCB, the company moved from fifth to fourth place in world rankings for construction equipment manufacturers by sales volume. It claims to have retained the number one position in the backhoe loader market. Production starts in 2007 of high-speed backhoe loaders, worth USD140 million, ordered by the US Army last year.