JCB plays Secret Squirrel with a look behind the scenes.
I have been visiting the ever-expanding JCB World Headquarters for almost a quarter of a Century now, and – due to a mix of professional curiosity and unspoken patriotism – it remains one of my favourite working destinations. So when I received an invitation to the company’s newly-opened Innovation Centre, I actually got to experience the Golden Ticket moment from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
But, rather than an opportunity to gaze upon the great wonders that lie within JCB’s inner sanctum, it was a carefully stage-managed, clock and dagger operation in which cameras and mobile phones were confiscated lest we reveal the army of Oompah-Loompahs beavering away behind the scenes. In fact, the glimpse of the Innovation Centre was akin to the glimpse of a Victorian lady’s well-turned ankle – impressive in its own way but with the good stuff kept firmly under wraps.
In truth, of course, JCB does not need an international press conference to proclaim its innovation credentials. This, after all, was the company that invented the backhoe loader and the telescopic handler; the company that in a few short years evolved from engine manufacturing rookie to holder of the diesel powered land speed record. What’s more, in 2012, the company introduced an unprecedented 70 new models, a momentum that is set to continue in 2013 with a further 50 new additions to its comprehensive range.
Of course, anyone playing presentation bingo could have quickly crossed off phrases such as “solutions provider”, “the JCB family”, and “innovation is our lifeblood”. But that adherence to the “saying much while saying nothing at all” press conference protocol is strangely at odds with the real story lurking beneath. The company has invested heavily to develop new engines that are not simply cleaner tweaks of existing models but totally new, lean, clean and green diesel power packs that are at the cutting edge of technology. The company is embracing new technology such as 3D printing to design, produce and tests parts and components, allowing it to bring better machines to market faster than ever before.
So what goes on behind the locked doors of the Innovation Centre remains a closely guarded secret; the fact that JCB is a national treasure and a jewel in Great Britain’s sadly tarnished manufacturing crown is thankfully common knowledge.
Our friends over at the Diggers and Dozers website captured video footage of just some of the new machines – including a dedicated new high reach excavator – joining the JCB stable in the coming months. Be sure to call by for a sneak preview.
