JCB customer tickled pink over new machine

Posted on 29 Jan 2015 by Callum Bentley

A 22-tonne JCB excavator has rolled off the Staffordshire company’s production lines – painted in eye-catching pink.

While most JCB diggers come in standard yellow, this one-off was painted in a different hue to give a colourful boost to customer Waitings Drainage & Pipeline Contractors’ initiative to raise thousands of pounds for two cancer hospices.

To help the cause, the cost of painting the JS220 model in the special pink livery was met by JCB Heavy Products in Uttoxeter, where the machine was made. Now every time it goes to work, a percentage of the revenue earned will be split between the Eden Valley Hospice, based in Carlisle, and the Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland.

JCB Heavy Products managing director Deepak Shetty said: “We were delighted to be able to help such a worthwhile cause by donating the cost of painting the machine in pink. The machine caused quite a stir as it progressed down the production line and its eye-catching colour scheme should ensure lots of money is raised for the hospices.”

A Facebook page has been set up to chart the machine’s fundraising activities while a naming competition and a Just Giving website will help to generate even more funds.

Adrian Ash, contracts manager and director at Waitings, based in Cliburn, near Penrith, said: “Cancer touches so many people in so many ways that we really wanted to do something to raise awareness and money for the two hospices, which we have adopted as our chosen charities.

“We approached our local JCB dealer, Scot JCB, and explained that we wanted a pink machine and our plans to use it to raise awareness for these good causes. The finished product is fantastic and we are very grateful to JCB for donating the paint job.

“We estimate the machine will raise more than £1,000 this year for the two hospices but we want to build on that – and initiatives like the naming competition will really help to generate more money for these fantastic causes.”