The man who invented the JCB has died.
Mr Joseph Cyril Bamford, CBE, the founder of the J C Bamford Excavator Group of Companies and the man whose initials have become a dictionary definition for a mechanical digger, died today aged 84.
Mr Bamford, who was visiting London, died peacefully at 1.05 a.m. today in hospital. The news was announced by Mr Bamford's elder son, Sir Anthony Bamford, the company's chairman.
Sir Anthony said: "It is with great sadness that I have to announce that my father sadly passed away peacefully this morning. He will be sorely missed by my family."
Mr Joe Bamford, who became a legend in his own right, and was known universally as Mr JCB, was born on June 21st 1916 in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. After the war he joined his family firm, which made agricultural machinery.
He was an innovative and skilled engineer and on October 23rd, 1945, he set up on his own company in a lock-up garage in Uttoxeter.
He made his first product there - a tipping trailer using army surplus material and a second-hand 50 shilling welding machine. He sold it at Uttoxeter market for £45.
In succeeding years, he built and marketed the famous backhoe loader - the classic JCB which was to become the foundation of the company's fortunes. JCB is now one of the world's top five manufacturers of construction equipment, producing machines on three continents. The company has 4,500 employees worldwide and in 1999 had sales of £833 million and a profit of £91.2 million.
Joseph Bamford is survived by his wife Marjorie and two sons, Sir Anthony and Mark.