JCB scoops up £55 million supply deal
Construction equipment giant JCB has secured one of its biggest ever UK deals with an order for 1,200 machines and a range of generators worth more than £55 million.
The contract is with equipment rental firm A-Plant and is a boost for JCB factories across Staffordshire, including Rocester, Uttoxeter, Cheadle and Hixon near Stafford, as well as the Rugeley plant that makes cab units for most of the company's machines.
A-Plant's huge order includes more than 600 JCB Loadall telescopic handlers and more than 450 mini and midi excavators, as well as JCB rough terrain forklift trucks, site dumpers, backhoe loaders and tracked excavators.
The JCB Power Products factory at Hixon is manufacturing a total of 162 generators ordered by A-Plant following the hire firm's first-ever purchase of JCB units last year. The volume of generators bought is enough to power eight hospitals or 4,000 homes.
It means that in the last three years A-Plant has placed orders with JCB worth more than £140 million. All the latest purchases are being supplied through JCB dealer Greenshields JCB.
A-Plant marketing director Asif Latief said: “The latest products are more innovative, productive, safer, greener and more sustainable. We are delighted to have placed this latest order with JCB, which demonstrates our commitment to working with leading brands. It is part of our continual fleet investment programme which has seen A-Plant invest over £300 million during the last two years.
“Among the 1,300 pieces of new equipment, we will be supplying 162 generators - all fitted with JCB’s LiveLink telematics solution as standard - into A-Plant's rapidly expanding Mather+Stuart Power Solutions division.
"Customers tell us that their number one priority is reliability, closely followed by availability and quality, so it is vital that we continue to meet these key requirements.”
JCB UK and Ireland sales director Dan Thompstone added: “A-Plant has been buying JCB equipment now for more than 25 years and we are delighted to support its latest investment in our equipment. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with A-Plant, delivering innovative, quality products supported by excellent parts and service back-up from Greenshields JCB.”
A-Plant is part of the Ashtead Group, the UK's largest equipment rental company with more than175 service centres nationwide, more than 3,600 employees and over 35,000 customers in the construction, industrial, infrastructure and events sectors.
