75th birthday artwork is ‘out-of-this-world’

A huge ‘75’ artwork visible from outer space was carved into a Staffordshire stubble field to mark JCB’s 75th birthday – and to help launch a new high-tech precision guidance solution for JCB’s unique Fastrac agricultural tractor.

The giant logo was cultivated in a field eight miles away from the company’s World Headquarters at Rocester. It covered almost 3ha (8 acres) – equivalent to four football pitches.

The special artwork was created ahead of JCB’s 75th anniversary on 23 October by one of the company’s most famous products – the Fastrac tractor, which was equipped with the new JCB Twin Steer guidance system.

A team of JCB employees was behind the larger-than-life creation which is close to the market town of Uttoxeter where the late Joseph Cyril Bamford founded JCB in a lock-up garage on the same day as his son Anthony, now Lord Bamford, was born.

Marketing manager David Timmis said: “Seventy five years is a big milestone to reach and we wanted to mark it in a big way with a product which has played a significant role in JCB’s success. “Using the JCB Fastrac to create a giant JCB logo in a field which could be seen from space seemed the perfect idea and the whole team was delighted with the result.”