The new 250 and 290 skid steer loaders expand JCB’s North American compact equipment lineup with 74 hp performance, single-arm boom visibility and side-door entry.
JCB is expanding its compact equipment lineup in North America with the introduction of two new skid steer loaders, the 250 and 290. Manufactured in Savannah, Georgia, the new models are aimed at construction and landscape professionals looking for compact machines that can handle daily material-moving tasks across tight, busy jobsites.
Unveiled in Boone, Iowa, the loaders bring JCB’s single-arm boom design into a widely used size class, combining material-handling capability with improved visibility and side-door entry. The focus is to help one operator do more during the workday, while reducing some of the access and visibility limitations traditionally associated with skid steer operation.
Powered by a 74 hp engine, the JCB 250 and 290 are designed to support a broad range of attachments and everyday applications. These include loading trucks, moving pallets, grading, site cleanup, handling bulk materials and supporting general jobsite logistics. The machines are built for year-round use across construction, landscaping, residential work, commercial developments and confined work areas.
“North American contractors continue to face labor shortages, making every employee and every piece of equipment more important than ever. The new 250 and 290 skid steer loaders are designed to help a single operator accomplish more throughout the day. Our industry-exclusive side-door entry eliminates the need to climb over buckets, pallet forks and other attachments every time operators enter or exit the machine. It’s a smarter design that improves productivity, enhances safety and helps operators keep work moving.”
Said Lee Tice, senior product manager – Compact Equipment, JCB North America.
The side-door entry is one of the main design elements carried over from JCB’s skid steer concept. Instead of requiring operators to climb over the front attachment to enter or exit the cab, the single-arm boom layout allows access from the side of the machine. In daily use, that can be especially relevant when switching tasks, working with pallet forks, or operating in areas where operators enter and exit the machine repeatedly.
The two models also strengthen JCB’s presence in a mid-size weight class for the brand. The 250 offers a rated operating capacity of approximately 2,531 lb, while the 290 raises that figure to approximately 3,029 lb. Both machines provide hinge pin heights of more than 10 ft, giving operators the reach required for loading trucks, placing materials and handling palletized goods on active jobsites.
Hydraulic versatility is another part of the package. High-flow hydraulic options and compatibility with a wide range of skid steer attachments allow the loaders to take on different material-handling and site preparation tasks without requiring multiple dedicated machines. For contractors managing small crews or varied daily workloads, that flexibility is central to the role of compact equipment.
Despite their lifting capability, JCB says both models retain a compact footprint and strong maneuverability. That makes them suitable for confined spaces where larger machines may not be practical, including landscape projects, residential developments and commercial jobsites with limited operating room.
The launch also fits into JCB’s wider North American material-handling offer, which includes skid steer loaders, compact track loaders, telehandlers, wheel loaders and the Teleskid. With the 250 and 290, the company is adding two machines designed to sit at the center of everyday jobsite movement: lifting, loading, grading, carrying and cleaning up.
For JCB, the new skid steers are not simply additions to the catalogue. They extend the company’s compact equipment range in a segment where versatility, operator access and attachment compatibility are key buying factors for contractors working under pressure to keep crews productive.
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