JCB Power Systems produced the engine which powered the JCB Dieselmax car to a world diesel land speed record of 350.092 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in the USA exactly ten years ago on August 23rd, 2006.
The company, based at Dove Valley Park, Foston, Derbyshire, was recently presented with two Queen’s Awards: one for innovation and a second for international trade. The Awards were presented by HM Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire William Tucker. In total JCB has now won 30 Queen’s Awards, a UK record, since securing its first in 1969.
Tucker said: “It has been a great privilege to present JCB Power Systems with its two Queen’s Awards on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen. Winning two Awards in the same year is almost unique and is a quite magnificent achievement. It is a wonderful acknowledgement of everything JCB has achieved at Dove Valley Park.”
JCB Group Director of Engines Alan Tolley said: “Today is a milestone day for the whole JCB Group, but in particular for JCB Power Systems because these awards are the first ever to be won by this business. These Queen’s Awards are testament to the quality and innovation that goes into manufacturing the JCB engine and are an enormous tribute to every employee involved in their design and manufacture. It’s also remarkable to reflect today, on the 10th anniversary of JCB Dieselmax car’s success, that the world record set that day still remains unbroken.”
Since production started in 2004, JCB has made around 375,000 engines at its plants in Derbyshire and India. JCB Power Systems’ award for innovation is for the development of its Ecomax engine family. Fitted with a novel combustion system using new technology and sophisticated computer control to meet new global emissions legislation, the innovative feature cuts fuel consumption by 10% and eliminates the need for after-treatment.
JCB originally began producing engines in 2004 to power its own machines and today more than 70% of all the company’s products are fitted with the JCB engine. Such has been the success of the engine that other companies around the world now buy it for their products and overseas third party sales grew by more than 325% between 2012 and 2014 – earning JCB Power Systems the second Queen’s Award, this time for International Trade.
External sales have grown rapidly and last year almost a quarter of the engines produced by JCB were for external customers. These engines are working in a wide range of different machines and in environments varying from harsh desert to extreme arctic conditions.