InfraStructures - April 2011 - JCB Launches New Skid Steer and Track Loaders

JCB Launches New Skid Steer
and Track Loaders

JCB has launched an new line of skid steer and compact track loaders. These new generation machines are the first to not only be manufactured but also designed and engineered at the company’s North American headquarters in Savannah, Georgia.
JCB is introducing a range of seven new vertical lift loaders that will eventually grow to 18 models, including both radial and vertical lift, ranging from 590 to 1,585 kg.

“North America generates 60% of the worldwide demand for skid steers and compact track loaders, so developing and producing the new generation of machines in Savannah makes perfect sense and has enabled us not only to meet the unique needs of the North American market but also develop a machine range that will have universal appeal,” said John Patterson, JCB deputy chairman.

The new vertical lift machines showcase JCB’s unique “PowerBoom” design, which uses a single arm, rather than the conventional two arm skid steer design. The JCB models do not require a torque tube across the back of the machine. Thus, operators can enjoy an unobstructed rear view and nearly 360° visibility for unmatched job site safety. To further enhance visibility JCB has eliminated the mesh screen around the cab and replaced it with laminated glass.

The new generation machines have a larger entry door and a 17% larger cab than previous models. JCB has also introduced multifunction joystick controls and an optional heated air-suspension seat with adjustable armrests, making JCB’s skid steers incredibly comfortable to operate. Redesigned control panels have been relocated from the lower console to the panels at the top of the cab to be within the operator’s line of sight. Operators will also enjoy a quieter cab with noise levels at a very low 76 dBa, an 85% improvement.

“JCB has never shied away from innovation,” Mr. Patterson said. “Back in 1993, we introduced the industry’s first single-arm, or ‘monoboom’ skid steer, a safer, more productive machine that was based upon the same engineering principles as a telescopic handler, which also operates with a single arm. What seemed uncommon to others, JCB saw as common sense, and took the intelligent design of telescopic handlers and applied it to skid steer loaders. Our New Generation skid steers and track loaders embody this same spirit of innovation while taking performance, productivity and safety to an even higher level.”

Source: JCB North America