DIGGER giant JCB, which has a base in Wrexham, has won a landmark deal to supply machines to Brazil.
The Ministry of Agrarian Development in Brazil has signed a tender for 1,000 of its iconic backhoe loaders in a £40 million deal designed to transform the rural economy of Brazil.
The machines will be manufactured at JCB’s new factory in Sao Paulo, but transmissions and axles will be supplied by JCB Transmissions in Wrexham, and 12,000 hydraulic cylinders by JCB’s World HQ at Rocester, Stafford-shire.
Machines will be put straight to work improving rural roads to ensure food produced for sale gets to market quicker.
The latest order comes after JCB Brazil successfully supplied more than 1,000 backhoes last year to the same customer as part of the first phase of the development of rural roads.
JCB chief executive Alan Blake said: “This is a very important deal for JCB and we are delighted to have secured the tender for a second year running.
“It is huge testament to the quality and versatility of JCB’s backhoe loaders and it’s fantastic to win an order of this size as we celebrate 60 years of backhoe loader production this year.”
JCB Brazil managing director Carlos Hernandez added: “It is a great honour to have been chosen again to supply another 1,000 backhoes that will be used to improve the infrastructure and services of the smaller municipalities.
“We are really pleased we can contribute to the economic development of Brazil, particularly to support the agricultural sector.”
A third of all farms in Brazil are family enterprises in remote areas of the country where the road network needs to be upgraded.
The machines will facilitate that development and help meet federal government growth plans.
As part of the deal JCB will also provide training for machine operators as well as maintenance and technical support.