UK-based rugged smartphone player JCB Phone outlined an ambition to expand across Europe, Africa, Latin America and Australasia, as it released a trio of new devices.

The JCB Toughphone E10, M20 and P20 are primarily aimed at professionals in construction, logistics, agriculture and the emergency services. They are promoted on high durability in terms of resistance to impact and battery life.

Unveiling the new handsets, JCB Phone CEO Roy Taylor said after building “a solid foundation in the UK”, it is now “focused on scaling internationally”.

Formed by the Genuine Case Company, JCB Phone has been licensed to use the JCB brand since 2023.

Within the first year it launched a pair of devices under the JCB Toughphone name, a moniker first used in 2007.

In a statement, JCB Phone noted it added “decades of experience in mobile strategy and rugged device distribution” to its ranks earlier this year with the appointment of Pete Cunningham as chief strategy officer and Chris Millington as global sales director.

Cunningham spent a decade at now defunct smartphone manufacturer Bullitt Group, which used to have a licence from JCB, while Millington had a lengthy stint as regional director at specialist device maker Doro.

JCB Phone stated industry experts “remain optimistic about the rugged category”, highlighting comments from CCS Insight chief analyst Ben Wood.

“While the rugged smartphone market has contracted over the past few years, there’s still a clear opportunity for companies that are lean, flexible and truly focused on customer needs,” Wood said. “JCB Phone is well-positioned to meet that demand with a widely recognised brand and a clear product vision.”


Two rugged black smartphones are shown, front and back, against a light background. Bold “TOUGH JCB PHONE” text appears on both screens—one with a textured gray background, the other with a colorful gradient. The phones have prominent camera modules and durable exteriors.

Of the new launches, the P20 is the most expensive and high-spec, listed at almost £700 on its website. It uses a MediaTek MT6877 octa-core chipset, features a 6.6-inch Gorilla Glass display, 10000mAh battery and 64MP main camera.

It also includes a thermal imaging camera, which the company describes as “perfect for inspection, diagnostics and safety monitoring in complex environments”. The M20 is priced at almost £500 and the E10 around £350.

All three have been drop-tested from 1.8 metres onto concrete.