JCB supports Staffordshire chinaware with major global order
Duchess China 1888 to supply fine bone china for JCB sites worldwide
JCB has shown its support for Staffordshire's pottery industry by placing a significant global order with Duchess China 1888, a leading chinaware manufacturer based in Stoke-on-Trent.
The order encompasses approximately 1,300 cups, saucers, plates, teapots, and coffee pots, destined for JCB’s World Headquarters in Rocester as well as JCB’s locations in North America, Brazil, and dealerships across the UK, Europe, and Panama.
This order marks the largest transaction in a 25-year relationship and is the first to distribute Duchess China products across multiple global JCB sites.
The chinaware plays a crucial role in the JCB Visitor Centre experience, with branded items now becoming available for purchase as collectors' items at JCB's gift shop and online.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “Flying the flag for great British business wherever we can is important to JCB and particularly so for fellow Staffordshire industries.
"The Potteries and its people have always held a special place in my heart and I’m pleased JCB can do its bit to support the ceramics industry in Stoke-on-Trent.
"I’m also delighted that some of our overseas factories and dealers will be using Duchess China products to showcase the area’s ceramics skills at JCB sites around the world.”
Duchess China 1888, which counts prestigious clients such as Harrods and The Orient Express, takes pride in the craftsmanship involved in their production, with each piece passing through up to 30 pairs of hands.
Co-owner and director Jason Simms said: “Every piece of chinaware made here goes through up to 30 pairs of hands and we are all proud to know that it is valued and used by an iconic and successful brand like JCB.
"Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do; our clay is made here in Stoke-on-Trent and our products are handmade from start to finish by local people who are among the industry’s most skilled artisans.
"Ensuring their crafts - from gilding to hand painting - remain alive is vital for the industry and JCB’s support over the decades shows how much this artistry is appreciated.
“We have much in common with JCB; we both have proud histories in this county, we both produce the highest quality products and we are both ambitious. It is a privilege to have been associated with the brand for more than a quarter of a century and long may our relationship continue.”
The partnership reflects a celebration of quality production and mutual support between two iconic Staffordshire brands.