Hire firm Hewden has placed an order for 50 JCB skid steer and compact tracked loaders in a deal worth £2.5m.

The order, placed through dealer Gunn JCB, is for the JCB 155 and 205T tracked models, as well as a wide range of attachments, including augers, pallet forks, shovels, trencher, waste grapple, patch planner, sweeper collector, brush cutter, landscape power rake and breakers.

A key factor in the purchasing decision, Hewden said, was the Power Boom design of JCB’s skid steer range. This enables operators to enter the cab of the machine through a large side door rather than climbing over potentially dangerous attachments at the front.

Hewden CEO Adrian Murphy said: “This is the latest in a significant round of investments for Hewden. We believe in having the latest and newest technology to meet our clients’ exacting demands.  We were impressed with JCB’s design of its skid steer and compact tracked loader range and the health and safety benefits it offers. Having a side-door entry point is just common sense and sets the standard for the industry. Beyond that is the versatility of the equipment:  it enables our hire customers to deploy the equipment in a range of challenging environments. This, together with our recent investment in our crane and lifting fleet, shows we are at the forefront of providing the latest innovative machinery for customers.”

Pictured below are, left to right: Gunn JCB director John Dolphin, Hewden product manager Alex Gadd, Hewden marketing director Kumar Bhamidipati, and JCB UK & Ireland sales director Dan Thompstone.