Lord Bamford becomes honorary engineer

The award was in recognition of “huge impact Lord Bamford has made to UK manufacturing and innovation”, IMechE president Richard Folkson said. “It is thanks to his leadership and vision that JCB is the success it now is and he is one of the strongest and most inspiring ambassadors for British engineering.”

Lord Bamford’s career began with a two year engineering apprenticeship at Massey Ferguson in France before he started at the JCB World Headquarters in Rocester, Staffordshire, in 1964.  He has been chairman of JCB since 1975 – more than 40 years.

Lord Bamford said: “I’m delighted by this honour which is a tribute to all the work of JCB’s engineering team. I encourage all our engineers to pursue professional accreditation with the IMechE. Engineering is a very exciting profession and it offers real opportunities to make a difference to the world in which we live.”

JCB has more than 7,000 employees, of whom 50 are IMechE members and a further 62 are on its professional development schemes, including 26 graduates and higher apprentices.

Lord Bamford was presented with the honorary fellowship along with Ratan N Tata, who was the chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, for almost 20 years.

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