JCB Donates Machines and Generators for Filipino Disaster Relief

Heavy equipment manufacturer JCB is donating machines and generators worth more than $500,000 to assist in the aftermath of the Filipino typhoon. The company is sending a fleet of three 3CX backhoe loaders to help clean-up operations following Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded on land and responsible for up to 2,500 casualties. In addition, JCB's Filipino dealer, Camec, is providing more than 120 JCB electrical generators. The generators are already being used to power community buildings, including hospitals and local authority premises. The JCB backhoes will be deployed in clean-up operations in the province of Tacloban City.

This is the second time JCB has sent aid to the Philippines. In 2006, JCB sent a fleet of 3CX backhoe loaders after Typhoon Reming hit the Bicol region, destroying much of its infrastructure.

“The human suffering and scenes of devastation in the Philippines have been heart-rending, and I hope JCB’s contribution to the relief effort will help, in some small way, those who are bearing the brunt of this disaster," said JCB chairman Lord Bamford. "One of the main challenges facing rescue workers is clearing roads in the affected areas, and the JCB backhoe is exactly the right machine for removing debris.”

The front shovel on the JCB backhoe loader can be used as a bulldozer and rear excavator to dig emergency drains and crane heavy objects. The machine can travel from site to site under its own steam with no need for additional transport.

JCB Power Products offers a range of 170 different generators ranging from 1kVA to 3300 kVA in both diesel- and gasoline-powered models. The generators dispatched to the disaster zone are all small gasoline models which can be carried easily by two people. Appliances can be simply plugged into these generators, making them ideal for powering medical equipment, fridges and microwaves.