13.09.2007

Prince presents award to JCB

HRH The Earl of Wessex today visited JCB’s World Headquarters to present a Queen’s Award for International Trade to the company’s Loadall Business Unit.

The Prince met with employees during a tour of the factory before making the presentation to Matthew Taylor, JCB’s Group Chief Operating Officer.

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HRH The Earl of Wessex presents JCB group coo Matthew Taylor with the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.

He also made a special presentation to JCB employee Fred Egerton, one of nine people who have been with the business unit, formally known as JCB Materials Handling, since its formation in 1977.

“This business unit has a proud record when it comes to Queen’s Awards," said Matthew Taylor, "winning its first, for Export, in 1984, just seven years after the launch of the JCB Loadall. The global impact of the Loadall was honoured again in 1996 with another Queen’s Award for Export. "

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JCB Loadall Director and General Manager Richard Fox-Marrs explains part of the telehandler production process to HRH The Earl of Wessex.

“Today’s presentation marks a hat-trick of Queen’s Awards for this business recognising a 77 per cent growth in overseas sales over three years."

Fred Egerton, who has been with JCB for 35 years, was presented with a scale model of a Loadall on a plinth on stage to mark his achievement.

Egerton, 59, said: “I was very pleased and extremely honoured when I found out I was going to be the one who picked up the award from the Earl. There are nine of us who’ve been with Loadalls from the beginning so I do feel lucky. My family are very proud.”

The other eight men who have been with the Loadall Business Unit since its formation were also given mementoes afterwards. They were Kenny Kirkland (42 years service to JCB), of Tean, Frank Rowe (31 years), of Tean, Chris Chell (31 years), of Uttoxeter, Stuart Summers (30 years), of Uttoxeter, John Muirhead (30 years), of Ipstones, Eddie Press (34 years), of Uttoxeter, Dave Jones (33 years), of Cheadle, and Terry Brain (33 years), of Tean.

The Loadall Business Unit was among three within the JCB Group to be honoured with Queen’s Awards for International Trade in 2007. The others were JCB Compact Products, of Cheadle, Staffordshire, and Wrexham-based International Transmissions Ltd, the third party sales arm of JCB Transmissions. In total, the JCB Group has won 21 Queen’s Awards since its first in 1969.