£500 bonus for JCB workers

Staffordshire digger giant JCB has announced a £500 Christmas bonus for more than 5,500 UK employees.

Celebrating the news of a £500 JCB Christmas bonus are Daniel Proctor, aged 27, of Uttoxeter; Faith Kelly, 28, of Stallington, near Blythe Bridge; Olivia Grey, 24, of Barton-under-Needwood; Louise Hemmings, 26, of Haughton, near Stafford; Ryan Mudford, 25, of Stafford and Alex Skittery, 27, of Tean, near Cheadle

The pay out covers the company’s 11 plants in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham including JCB Cab Systems at Rugeley.

Chief executive Graeme Macdonald said: “As we entered 2017, global construction equipment markets looked fragile but as the year progressed they have rallied and strengthened in many markets around the world. This year has been a strong one and the whole JCB team has delivered a performance to be proud of. I’m delighted that Lord Bamford has agreed to award a Christmas bonus in 2017 as we look forward with some confidence to the year ahead.”

The Christmas bonus – the biggest since 2012 – comes in a year in which JCB entered a brand new sector with the launch of a range of powered access equipment aimed at grabbing a slice of a market worth about £6 billion annually.

JCB is also about to go into production with a brand new and innovative range of site dumpers at its world headquarters at Rocester, Staffordshire in a move which will create around 70 new jobs over the next 12 months.

This year has also been a year of milestones, including the 40th anniversary of the JCB Loadall, which is the world’s biggest selling telescopic handler. The company also marked the production of its half millionth engine, just 13 years after the first one went into production.

Loadall production line operative Ryan Mudford, aged 25, of Stafford, was also among the 150 agency employees given permanent JCB contracts in the Autumn. He said: “I was so happy when I got a permanent JCB contract and to receive a Christmas bonus is a great way to end the year.”

Louise Hemmings, 26, of Haughton, near Stafford, has worked at JCB for 18 months and said: “This is the second Christmas bonus I have received and the extra money at this time of year is really welcome. It’s great that the company rewards us in this way.”