JCB wins its biggest ever UK order as Morris Leslie invests

1 min read

JCB has won its biggest ever deal in the UK after rental firm Morris Leslie Plant Hire placed an order for £87.5m worth of machines – including a big fleet of 3CX backhoe loaders.

The huge order from the Perth-based company, which operates nationally, includes a bumper deal for 50 JCB backhoe loaders, at a time when new figures show a resurgence in demand for backhoes in the UK, with the market growing by more than 12% in 2022.

The investment will also see Perth-based Morris Leslie take delivery of excavators, site dumpers, telescopic handlers and compaction equipment, underlining its commitment to provide housebuilders and the construction sector with one of the industry’s most up-to-date fleets.  

Manufactured at JCB’s factories in Rocester and Cheadle, Staffordshire, all the new machines are powered by the latest Stage V engines which deliver low emissions.

They are also fitted with the JCB LiveLink telematics system which enables Morris Leslie Plant Hire and its rental customers to monitor the safety, productivity and emissions of the machines. The order will be supplied by dealer Scot JCB to Morris Leslie’s 14 nationwide depots throughout 2023.

"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," said Morris Leslie, chairman of Morris Leslie Plant Hire,

JCB sales MD Marco Bersellini said: “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.”