Hundreds of long servers have been honoured at two special lunches after notching up an incredible combined service to JCB of almost 6,000 years. The annual event at the World HQ at Rocester honours employees who have worked at the company for 20, 40, 45 and 50 years and each gets a special gift to mark their milestone.
Among them this year were four employees who all started work on August 25th, 1969 – the year man first landed on the moon. The group celebrating 45 years’ service were Chris Goodall, 61, of Lower Tean; Ray Elkin, 60, of Tean; Delmer Scotney, 60 , of Uttoxeter and Tony Jeffery, 61, of Rocester. A further 16 employees marked a remarkable 40 years’ service and almost 250 were celebrating 20 years of working at JCB.
Group HR Director Alan Thomson said: “The long service lunches are a long-established fixture in the JCB calendar but this year’s event was the biggest we have ever staged. This group of employees has amassed a staggering length of service of almost 6,000 years. That really is an achievement worth celebrating because their efforts have contributed significantly to the success of JCB.”
Maintenance Fitter Ray Elkin, who is based at the World HQ, said: “Working at JCB has been entertaining and very diverse – I’ve done all sorts over the years. I didn't know that I'd stay this long. My father Herbert completed 25 years and my brother Robert did five. It really is a family firm.”
Chris Goodall has just retired after completing 45 years' service and is planning to put his feet up before going on a cruise in 2015 with his wife Lesley. Based at JCB Earthmovers in Cheadle as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer before he left, he started off in the toolroom. He and his wife were once registered as respite carers and looked after children with special needs to give their parents a break.
Chris said: “Time has flown by and I've thoroughly enjoyed my career. There were highs and lows but I was lucky I had a great group of people to work with. We’re now planning to do a bit of travelling and all the things we’ve never had time to do when we were working.”
About his first day, Toolmaker Delmer Scotney added: “I think I was the youngest so I was very nervous and apprehensive but excited. It was a new chapter in my life and a chance to earn some money. The job's been stimulating and keeps my mind ticking over all the time. I'm not tied to my bench and happy to carry on. I never hankered after a move away.”