Hykit has been set up to manufacture and supply hydrogen mobile refuelling solutions for construction sites.
It is a joint venture between JCB, Hycap and HydraB. Hycap is an investment company that funds hydrogen fuel initiatives; HydraB is the parent company of various hydrogen-related businesses, including WrightBus, Ryze Power and Hygen Energy. Both Hycap and HydraB are owned/controlled by Jo Bamford, son of JCB chairman Anthony Bamford.
Hykit is set to begin production in Oxfordshire year of mobile compressors, storage solutions and refuelling systems.
Developed in tandem with JCB’s hydrogen engineering division, the products will provide infrastructure for operators of hydrogen machinery and vehicles in the construction and transportation sectors.
Jo Bamford, executive chairman of the HydraB group, said the new company was a vital stepping stone to further hydrogen adoption.
“I first started talking about hydrogen in 2019 and ever since then we’ve been steadily building a network of companies who can get this industry on its feet,” he explained.
“Between us we’ve delivered hydrogen buses and hydrogen diggers; now we are focusing on the infrastructure to bring it all together.
“Our commitment to the industry is clear – we are putting the ecosystem in place to help businesses realise that hydrogen is a vital part of the UK’s energy mix.”
JCB chairman Anthony Bamford said: “JCB has proven that hydrogen can be a fuel of the future for construction and agricultural machinery, without any of the carbon emissions associated with fossil fuels.
“Machines powered by JCB’s pioneering hydrogen combustion engines are set to revolutionise how building sites and farms of the future operate. A key ingredient in this hydrogen revolution is getting the right infrastructure in place to support the deployment of this clean fuel.
“Hykit’s launch shows that we are serious about the hydrogen economy and serious about getting UK-engineered equipment to get this industry moving.”
