A new British truck is set to hit the world stage to thrill families and motorsport fans after digger maker JCB and entertainment giant Monster Jam announced a new partnership.
The two family companies are joining forces to establish British machine giant JCB as the official heavy equipment partner of Monster Jam – an alliance which has seen the wraps come off a new truck design added to the Monster Jam fleet known as JCB DIGatron.
It was designed in conjunction with JCB’s engineering team and inspired by JCB’s iconic construction equipment and is set to make its debut at Monster Jam in January at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas – the city which is also the site of a proposed new JCB factory announced last month.
British machinery giant JCB currently has 22 factories around the world, including 11 in the UK, and others in India, Brazil and China. JCB has recently announced it is expanding its global manufacturing empire by building a new factory in North America which will create 1,500 new jobs over the next five years.
The construction of the 720,000 sq ft (67,000m²) factory will begin early next year on a 400-acre site in San Antonio, Texas.
The new facility will manufacture machines largely for customers in North America, the world’s biggest market for construction equipment. The plant will be the second JCB factory in North America, where the company began manufacturing in Savannah, Georgia, in 2001. JCB North America already employs 1,000 people. Details of the products to be manufactured at the new plant will be announced at a later date.
JCB’s arrival in Texas will be helped by its new JCB DIGatron which will be driven by reigning Monster Jam World Finals® Racing champion Tristan England at events around the United States, wowing hundreds of thousands of fans. At selected events where DIGatron is participating, JCB will provide equipment to support track construction as well as a JCB 457 wheeled loader for recovery purposes.
Juliette Feld Grossman, Chief Operating Officer Feld Entertainment says:
“The Monster Jam and JCB partnership brings together two long-standing, family businesses that are both committed to providing the highest value to our customers, including performance and innovation. We are excited to welcome JCB into the Monster Jam family.”
Alice Bamford, who is daughter of JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford, said:
“Our family is delighted by the partnership between Monster Jam and JCB. Our son, Otis, is the original Monster Jam fan in our family, and it is through his eyes that we realised how incredible it could be to join forces with another family business like Feld Entertainment as both companies share the same values of innovation, dedication, passion, and attention to detail. We are thrilled about the hours of entertainment that JCB DIGatron, with Tristan at the wheel, will bring to children, families, and our customers across North America!”
Unexpected, unscripted, and unforgettable, Monster Jam® features world-class athletes competing for championships on perfectly engineered dirt tracks that push these ever-evolving, state-of-the-art trucks to the limit. Beyond the 350 global live events each year, the Monster Jam brand extends off the track into the home through products, content, and merchandise that keeps the fun alive year-round.
For more information, visit MonsterJam.com.
