JCB today officially marked its 65th anniversary by presenting gifts to its employees. JCB employees received a bottle of Château Léoube rosé wine, two glasses and a DVD highlighting the global footprint of a company which started life in a lock-up garage in Uttoxeter. The celebration took place today (June 21st) to coincide with the 95th anniversary of the birth of JCB’s Founder, the late Joseph Cyril Bamford.

To mark the occasion JCB Group Chief Executive Alan Blake also joined employees at the World HQ in marking the anniversary by cutting a special JCB cake. Among those taking part in the celebrations were the company’s longest-serving female employee Jane Staley, who has notched up 47 years’ service, and JCB’s most recent recruit Matt Pears, who joined on Tuesday as Operations Manager for the Backhoe Loader Business Unit.

JCB Chairman Sir Anthony Bamford said: “Our business would be nowhere without the people we employ. There are a few ingredients in business which are highly important and the people are the most important and the gift is a way of saying thank you. I would like to thank all JCB employees for their contribution to the tremendous success of our business over the years, and I look forward to more successful times ahead as we plan for the future growth of our company.”

Senior Development Engineer Peter Swinnerton of Forsbrook, Stoke-on-Trent, joined in the celebrations. He said: “It’s fantastic that employees are receiving a gift from the company. I have been here for 14 years and it’s nice to be recognised in this way on JCB’s 65th anniversary.”

Also joining in the celebratory photocall yesterday were Graduate engineer Ade Soheinde, of Rocester; Group Purchasing Manager Roy Bamford, of Cheadle; Assistant Marketing Manager Laura Suggate, of Barton-under-Needwood; Purchasing Manager Ajay Patel, of Rocester; Assembly line employee Wayne Gacek, of Newcastle; Machinist Graham Stubbs, of Cheadle; Storeman John Cox, of Uttoxeter; Manufacturing Operative Phil Kurdziej, of Stone; Team Leader Lee Blandford, of Longton and HR Manager Diane Troman, of Derby.

Picture caption: Employees officially mark JCB's 65th annviersary at the World HQ in Staffordshire today.