Industry sales data supplier, ERG International has released the construction equipment market share figures for the full year 2013, with JCB leading the Australian backhoe loader segment for the third consecutive year.
The JCB brand has held market leadership for their 4WD Side Shift backhoe loaders for 11 of the last 13 years, with the 2013 results marking their largest reported share at 40 per cent of the total Australian market.
Hylton Taylor, Acting Executive General Manager of JCB Construction Equipment Australia (CEA), said that the result is not only a reflection of the machine itself, which has been a proven performer over the past 60 years, but is also a testament of his team’s dedication to quality, safety and customer support.
“This is a monumental achievement, and one we are very proud of,” he said. “JCB takes pride in delivering products of the highest quality to our customers, and it is because of our dedicated support teams and our valued customers that we have been able to continue to grow in our success as a brand and as a company.”
This is a timely accolade for JCB as 2013 marked the 60th anniversary of the iconic JCB backhoe loader.
Glenn McLeod is JCB CEA’s National Product Manager for backhoe loaders. He explained, “The Australian backhoe loader market is dominated by side shift model sales that account for 96 per cent of the market. The remaining 4 per cent are centremount model sales and even when they are taken into account, the JCB backhoe loader still holds market leadership with 38.3% of the entire backhoe market. This is nearly double that of our closest competitor.”
On a global scale, JCB dominates the global backhoe loader market, too, holding nearly 50 per cent market share and selling more machines than many of our competitors put together.
Glenn said that JCB CEA hopes to mimic these figures in the Australian market and are working to bring new innovations and superior support to our customers in order to achieve this.
JCB invests significantly in research and development of their backhoe loader range, and has seen numerous developments over the years.
Glenn believes that these continued improvements to the JCB backhoe loader are a main reason the brand consistently leads the industry.
“With each new model, we apply innovative technologies which deliver feature benefits that are simply without peer in the industry.”
“For example, the 3CX/4CX model range offers operator comfort and control with our unique patented in-seat multifunction servo controls that are specially designed to eliminate the constant in-cab twisting associated with other control configurations. Our customers know that operator comfort is directly linked to productivity, and recognise JCB backhoe loaders as the machine that allows them to complete work faster and more comfortably.”
The JCBs lead the pack in safety too, explained Glenn.
Our unique full hydraulic power-assisted brakes and revised pedal geometry allow for quick and easy heel and toe braking, rather than having to push with full force of the leg. The JCB brake system is not only safer but it is also easier to service because the hydraulic system eliminates the need to top up brake fluid,” he said.
JCB founder Joseph Cyril Bamford manufactured the original JCB backhoe in 1953, with the first models hitting Australian shores in the early 1970’s. Since then, they have become an icon of the Australian construction industry.
Despite the maturity of the versatile backhoe loader, it is still one of the biggest selling pieces of construction machinery and remains the world’s 4th most popular machine in the construction equipment sales league table.