Our Story
From a Garage to 150 Countries
JCB began in a small garage in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England. Joseph Cyril Bamford built his first machine — a tipping trailer made from war-surplus materials — in 1945. Today, JCB employs over 15,000 people across 22 factories on four continents, producing over 75,000 machines annually.
What has not changed in 80 years is the founding principle: build practical, reliable machines that help working people do their jobs better. We do not chase technology for its own sake — every engineering investment is measured by one question: does this help the operator and the site manager?
JCB remains privately owned by the Bamford family. This means we invest for the long term, not the next quarterly report.
