Let’s Hear It For 1,000 JCB High Mobility Engineer Excavators

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The imposing JCB HMEE is a backhoe loader built to withstand some of the harshest conditions on earth. (Photo courtesy of JCB.)

JCB, a leading manufacturer of construction equipment and off-highway diesel engines based in Savannah Georgia, recently celebrated the manufacturing of its 1, thousandth High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE), a military-style backhoe loader developed jointly with the U.S. Army.

Battlefield Ready

When tasked with designing the HMEE, JCB’s goal was to create a backhoe loader that is as versatile and nimble as its commercial machines, but armored enough to handle the unpredictable situations that arise in combat and natural disaster zones. One of the most important capabilities of the HMEE is its ability to travel at a top speed of 60 mph (nearly 100 km/h). A military convoy can only move as fast as the slowest vehicle in the group, so the HMEE is not going to be the one holding up forward progress.

The HMEE takes many of its design cues from the JCB’s 4CX and Fastrac, which are the largest backhoe loader available in North America, and the world’s fastest production tractor, respectively. Other features of the HMEE that make it an ideal tool for a variety of military and humanitarian operations include impressive off-road capabilities afforded by the machine’s full suspension, four-wheel drive, and four-wheel steering. Applications that the HMEE excels at include earthmoving, fortification construction, route proving, and clearing debris.

History Lesson

The first HMEEs rolled off the production line in 2005 as a part of an initial run of 636 units. Later extensions brought the run to 1,000 units, and JCB is developing them both domestically and abroad. According to Chris Giorgianni, JCB vice president for Government & Defense, “Everyone at JCB North America is proud to be building such a complex military machine right here in Pooler. Equally importantly, more than 60% of the HMEE is sourced in the U.S., with the state of Georgia being the largest contributor.” The event hosted at JCB’s plant in Pooler, Georgia, was attended by a number of government officials and military leaders.

If you’re in the market for new or used JCB equipment, you’ll find numerous options available for sale on MachineryTrader.com, including hundreds of used JCB loader backhoes.

Source: JCB

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