Founded: 1945
Location: Rocester, Staffordshire, U.K.
Employees: 12,000

Founded in a Uttoxeter, England garage by Joseph Cyril Bamford in 1945, JCB is a family-owned business specializing in the manufacture of construction equipment.

A global player, JCB employs 12,000 people around the world.

Anthony Bamford, Joseph Cyril's son, has been chairman of the company since 1975, overseeing its international expansion – in 2012 the company opened a factory in Brazil – and transformation into one of the world's biggest construction equipment manufacturers.

In 2013, another landmark was reached when JCB built its millionth machine.