Stage 3B will cost customers more money, says JCB

The next round of exhaust emission legislation could add between £4,000 and £5,000 to the price of a large machine, according to Matthew Taylor, chief operating officer of JCB Group. "Tier 4 will cost customers a lot of money - there's no way round it," he said

The legislation, called Stage 3B in Europe, effectively requires the fitting of diesel particulate filters and, in many cases, a re-designed cooling system. Engines between 130kW and 560kW are the first to be covered at the beginning of 2011, with 56kW-130kW machines following a year later, and 37kW-56kW at the start of 2013.

Following representations from the European manufacturers' organisations, Taylor believes the EU will allow a little more flexibility on the cut-off dates for selling the current version so plant builders and dealers can clear stocks that have become slow-moving because of the recession.

Based on the number of machines produced, Taylor places JCB as the world's number three manufacturer and he said India accounts for around a third of its output. He also said the UK market has stabilised at around half last year's level and hinted at a forthcoming 5t/8m Loadall telehandler.