JCB | UK | digger--JCB digs deep with ?20m investment to help workers beat the chill

Construction equipment manufacturer, JCB, has ploughed £20m into developing a new range of diggers to help improve driver comfort and increase productivity.

Following research with customers across the UK into working practices, JCB discovered having the ability to make hot drinks easily on freezing cold days was of importance to operators. This led to the new range of fuel efficient diggers being designed complete with an in-cab hot water dispenser.

Diggers from the range are now starting to go into the field – particularly timely as forecasters are predicting we are in for the coldest winter Britain has seen in the last 100 years.

JCB's Tim Burnhope, group managing director for product development and commercial operations, said: "Driver comfort is paramount and we are always looking at new, innovative ways to improve things. We have a proud tradition of product innovation and being first to introduce the latest technology and this is just another example, in fact, we believe this product is a world first." He continues: "We continually challenge ourselves to raise the bar to provide operators with a comfortable working environment. In preparation for a cold winter, our team of engineers looked for innovation inside the cab, the place where operators spend the majority of their time.

"We all know that a happy operator is a more productive operator and so we felt everyone wins with our new innovation."

All JCB 3CX and 4CX Eco backhoe loader models are now available with an optional hot water dispenser, capable of producing tea, coffee or soup, which locks securely into an area at the side of the cab. The machine uses the 12V supply directly from the machine and has been designed to fit into the existing cab layout.

However, in addition to the hot water dispenser, the new backhoe range also features a whole host of environmental and performance-enhancing benefits.

The new JCB EcoDig hydraulic system, which utilises three hydraulic pumps, can help cut fuel costs by up to 16 per cent, saving customers up to £3,536 over three years, and also boasts enhanced performance to further boost productivity. The models also come with JCB EcoRoad options of Smooth Ride System (SRS) and TorqueLock which can reduce fuel consumption by up to 25 per cent whilst increasing speed by up to ten per cent. Power brakes provide proportional braking, resulting in reduced effort, and the redesigned pedal box, with improved ergonomics, helps operators maintain roading speeds, contributing to a further one per cent saving in fuel consumption.

Tim concludes: "The new backhoe loader range is our most efficient. It has been designed with the environment, and productivity, in mind and ultimately the machines work harder, yet require less fuel and driver effort."

Source: Hub-4.com