JCB’s range of skidsteer loaders is to be widened and production shifted from the UK to the USA.

The company said this is reflection of the global market. With 60% of skidsteers sold in North America and Europe accounting for just 10% of worldwide sales, it makes more sense to build machines at JCB’s US HQ in Savannah, Georgia. Also, with 90% of competitors’ machines built in North America, the firm points out that there is much greater availability of parts and components on that side of the Atlantic.

First introduced in 1993, JCB’s Robot was a one-off with its unique single side-arm design. And that feature is to be retained on this latest line-up of wheeled and tracked machines, meaning that access to the cab is via a wide-swinging side door rather than up and over a bucket or grab and in through the front window.

While the current range consists of eight models apparently covering just 53% of the potential market, the new 18-model line-up will give the firm the ability to cater for more than 90% of customers’ requirements.

In the main this is down to a new boom design which, thanks to some clever geometry, rises vertically rather than going up in a radial lift arc.

Now the company will offer both types of boom, hoping to satisfy the growing trend towards vertical-lift machines.

It will be larger skidsteers with lift capacities of 1t and above that appear at first, followed next year by a full line-up from 600kg to 1600kg in both wheeled and tracked variants.