Staffordshire excavator manufacturer JCB has been honoured for its worldwide support services.
The Duke of Gloucester visited the company’s World Parts Centre in Uttoxeter to present the firm with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its work providing parts and service back-up to thousands of customers around the world.
JCB Service was selected for the award, which marks export achievement, after increasing overseas sales by more than 36 per cent between 2004 and 2006.
The Queen’s Award – in the International Trade category – was presented to group chief executive Matthew Taylor at a ceremony attended by many of the employees who contributed to the success.
The Lord Lieutenant for Staffordshire, Mr James Hawley, told the ceremony: “In recent years awards for export achievement have declined and this makes today’s award even more special. It shows the enormous commitment that JCB have to supporting their customers all over the globe.”
He said the company’s products, such as its iconic yellow earthmovers, were great ambassadors not just for Staffordshire, but the UK as a whole.
“I, like so many others when abroad, am always thrilled to see one of your yellow machines beavering away and feel a real glow of pride when we think that it probably started life here in Uttoxeter and is kept going by efficient and speedy supply of spare parts and replacements,” he added.
Mr Taylor said the firm was proud to have been recognised and the latest award was the 23rd to have been won by the company since 1969.
“It is well-deserved recognition of the achievement of the people here and their colleagues around the world. It is a fitting tribute to all their hard work,” he said.
“The World Parts Centre is at the heart of our worldwide dealer and customer support network – which includes facilities in Paris, Madrid, Singapore, Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Savannah in the USA and India.
“Very shortly, our new Moscow warehouse will be fully operational - and next on our list are the Czech Republic and United Arab Emirates – evidence of our ongoing investment in service support.” During his visit, The Duke toured the World Parts Centre and met a large number of employees who explained the processes involved in delivering global customer support.
JCB Service provides aftermarket support to JCB’s global customers via its dealer network and the World Parts Centre employs more than 300 people in a 24 hour operation which dispatches around one million parts every week around the world.
JCB Service sells parts for the full range of JCB construction and agricultural machines as well as providing field and office-based technical product support for dealers and end users worldwide. JCB dealers provide a 24-hour on-site breakdown service supported by 12 parts warehouses around the world, carrying 150,000 parts for the 300 different JCB products. These facilities are capable of supplying the correct parts within 24 hours to most areas of the world.
