Digger firm JCB is celebrating after its 500,000th machine rolled off its Staffordshire production line. The historical milestone was reached on Monday as a backhoe loader was completed at the firm's Rocester headquarters.
JCB has 4,000 employees worldwide and operates 13 plants on four continents.
The company's chairman and managing director Sir Anthony Bamford said it was a fantastic feat to have manufactured half a million machines.
Wartime scrap
He said it was an achievement everyone associated with the company could be proud of.
"JCB's production doubles approximately every 10 years, so we are eagerly looking forward to the day when we manufacture our one millionth machine," Mr Bamford added.
JCB also has subsidiary companies in France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore and Spain.
The company, whose first product was a farm trailer made in 1945 from wartime scrap, still manufactures agricultural equipment, as well as its range of industrial vehicles.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
