UK ag and construction equipment manufacturer, JCB has kicked off the new year in style announcing one of the biggest orders in its history - a 1600 unit deal with the US military.
The $US142 million deal will see the US Army supplied with 527-58M light capacity, rough terrain forklifts for logisitics and loading tasks in deployments around the world.
The 527-58M forklift is based on JCB’s Loadall telescopic handler range.
JCB chief executive, Graeme Mcdonald, was unsurprisingly jubilant.
“This order is fantastic news for JCB and a great way to start the New Year.
“It is the second-highest-value order in the company’s history,” he said.
The military is fertile sales ground for the company as the US Army filled out the biggest JCB order back in 2006 for hundreds of high speed militarised backhoe loaders.
The new 527-58M light-capability rough-terrain forklifts will be produced at JCB’s Savannah, Georgia plant and will be powered by the 63 kilowatt DieselMax engine produced at the company’s power systems plant in Derbyshire, UK.
At two metres wide and 1.98m high, the military spec machine is designed to work in confined spaces.
It offers a travel speed of 33 kilometres an hour and a maximum lift capacity of more than 2.26 tonnes and a lift height of 5.8m and has also been marinised to meet operational needs during wading and fording.
JCB North American CEO and president, Arjun Mirdha, said JCB had supplied more than 4000 machines to armed forces in 57 countries, over the past 30 years.
The company says one of every three telescopic handlers sold globally is produced by JCB.