JC Balls & Sons was founded in 1963 by James Christopher Balls—known to most as Jim—when he became the proud owner-operator of a single JCB 3 machine. 

Just two years later, in 1965, he expanded the business with a second machine and welcomed his first employee. 

As demand grew, so did the company. In 1978, larger premises were acquired to support continued growth. This was followed in 1983 by the purchase of the old railway yard in Ambergate, which remains the hub for our plant and lorry maintenance operations to this day. 

Continuing our forward momentum, we purchased new offices in 2021—a modern base to support the future development of our business. 

What began as a small plant hire venture soon expanded into contract earthworks, prompting further diversification into transport and haulage. The addition of low loaders and tipper lorries enabled us to manage both machinery logistics and material movement in-house. 

By the late 1990s, with recycling becoming a key industry focus, we sought land to launch our own recycling operation. This led to the purchase of a site at Cotes Park Industrial Estate near Alfreton, where our recycling division was born. 

In 2012, we invested in further land and installed a state-of-the-art washing plant, allowing us to transform previously unusable soils into high-quality aggregates and sands. 

Today, JC Balls & Sons employs over 100 skilled professionals, operating a fleet of more than 50 machines and 30 lorries. 

With decades of experience, cutting-edge equipment, and a team of dedicated experts, we’ve become the leading plant hire and contracting business in the East Midlands.