The 3CX Compact is the result of a multi-million pound investment by JCB to reduce the size of its best-selling backhoe with no loss of speed or power.
The first of the new machines have started rolling off the production lines at the World HQ in Rocester, Staffordshire.
The 3CX Compact is just 1.9 metres wide and 2.4 metres high and has a turning circle of just 5.8 metres, enabling it to turn in a single carriageway. It is capable of travelling at 40km/h and comes with air conditioning and power steering.
Target markets include road resurfacing and repair contractors, utilities, groundworkers and municipal contractors working on congested urban construction sites.
Although JCB previously entered this marekt with the 2CX, the 3CX Compact is faster, has servo controls as standard, has a larger extending dipper and has a skid steer hitch, opening up the opportunity for greater attachment use. It also has 19% greater pump flow than the 2CX, allowing the use of bigger attachments, and a shovel corner turning radius that is 44% better.
JCB chairman Lord Bamford said: “It was the backhoe that built JCB into the company that it is today and made us famous around the world. As a company though you can never stand still; you need to innovate to grow. More and more of our customers have been telling us that they need a backhoe loader that is smaller simply because they are operating in congested towns and cities and on narrow streets.
“We have answered their call by engineering the 3CX Compact backhoe from the ground up. As the company approaches its 70th anniversary next month, I’m confident that this innovative machine will win us more and more customers around the world.”
JCB chief innovation and growth officer Tim Burnhope said: “With the 3CX Compact, JCB has condensed over 60 years of backhoe loader expertise and market leadership into a machine that delivers all of the versatility, productivity and ease of use of the market-leading 3CX, with even more manoeuvrable dimensions.
“Its small footprint and incredible all-round visibility is perfect for working in congested urban areas, it’s easy and intuitive to use, has great mobility and manoeuvrability and with servo controls, will suit operators of backhoes and excavators.
“With the 3CX Compact we are delivering a real master of all trades, a machine that is suitable for operation in road maintenance, urban construction, utility work, or any task that requires maximum performance in a compact package.”
To read more about this machine and see more photos, see our Digger Blogger's posting.
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