JCB has won its biggest ever deal in the UK after Perth-based Morris Leslie Plant Hire placed an order for £87.5 million worth of machines.
The haul includes 50 JCB backhoe loaders at a time when figures show a resurgence in demand for backhoes in the UK, with the market growing by more than 12% last year.
The investment will also see Morris Leslie take delivery of excavators, site dumpers, Loadall telehandlers and compaction equipment.
All the new machines are powered by Stage V engines and fitted with the JCB LiveLink telematics system. The order will be supplied by Scot JCB to Morris Leslie’s 14 nationwide depots throughout 2023.
Morris Leslie, chairman of the group, said, “We are delighted to have agreed our largest ever order with our long-term partner JCB to support our 2023 growth plans and by the end of the year our entire JCB fleet will be operating with the latest Stage V engines.
“The backhoe loader part of the order is particularly pleasing, and we look forward to seeing ongoing growth of our JCB 3CX fleet. The backhoe continues to be hugely popular with our customers thanks to its excellent loading and excavating capabilities and the ability to travel directly to the site, cutting the need for costly transportation. Scot JCB and other JCB dealers around the UK continue to provide first-class service to our depots and our customers.”
JCB sales MD Marco Bersellini added, “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Morris Leslie Plant Hire. This deal demonstrates confidence in the construction market and confirms that JCB has exactly the right products to meet the needs of hirers and end users.”
