Taking a tour of JCB’s 155 skid steer
JCB has chosen to use InterMat Middle East to debut its range of 17 new skid steers and track loaders in the Middle East. The little big men of the UK manufacturer’s line-up have been putting on a shift in North America for a while now, but come to the region carrying JCB’s boasts that the […]
JCB claims the side boom makes the machine safer than competitors machines
JCB has chosen to use InterMat Middle East to debut its range of 17 new skid steers and track loaders in the Middle East. The little big men of the UK manufacturer’s line-up have been putting on a shift in North America for a while now, but come to the region carrying JCB’s boasts that the machines are 16% more fuel efficient than rival models and can save customers around $2,700 annually.
Small platform machines like this are ideal for the increasingly urbanised areas of the UAE, Saudi and the tighter confines of Qatar and Kuwait, but have yet to gain huge traction. Well, there’s one exception, Bobcat’s range of machines and attachments.
CMME took a tour of the 155 skid steer during the summer and it is certainly hitting the right kind of pitch that JCB needs if it is going to chip away at the market. One major plus of the range, which is immediately clear when inspecting the 155 is side entry to the machine. This is made possible by the single arm power boom which borrows tech from JCB’s larger machines. Not only is this safer it also means 270-degree visibility for the operator.
The cab is 46% bigger than competitor machines, JCB claims – whether this is an important consideration for some contractors remains to be seen but it does mean that there’s extra carry-on space for tools or small equipment that could be passed on to other workers in the field. JCB also claims that the machine offers 21 percent better serviceability than the competition. However, that is based on North American standards and will surely require further testing in the region before being confirmed.
Where JCB is really stepping up its game is in productivity and it now offers 31 ‘families’ of JCB attachments which it says are 21 percent more productive than the competition. That’s still nowhere close to Bobcat’s level of tools but does mean the range has better application coverage than ever before.
Another area where JCB has been particularly impressive is engine development and the machine is claimed to be 16% more fuel efficient.
