On a large piece of asphalt on the outskirts of Shanghai, a group of JCB machines are being put through their paces. They are drilling holes in the ground, digging up bits of earth and lifting their hydraulic arms in a series of crazy-looking but co-ordinated actions.
Next to the proving ground is the factory that makes the machines. It looks eerily familiar to people who are acquainted with JCB. The company is Britain’s biggest maker of construction equipment, and one of the world’s six largest producers of this hardware.
