Why is it called ‘plant machinery’?

It’s one of those questions you’ll find yourself wondering at random points throughout the day. Along with, ‘How do you handcuff a one armed man?’ or ‘Is the word ‘dictionary’ in the dictionary?’. But do you know why those large-scale machines you use every single day are called ‘plant machinery’? If not, read on to find out.

So, why do we call it plant?

Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this age old question. If you search the internet, you’ll find a whole range of different suggestions. It seems that, in many parts of the world, the term ‘plant machinery’ isn’t used but instead referred to as factory machinery or heavy-duty machinery.

The best answer we could find was that ‘plant machinery’ comes from the meaning behind the word ‘plant’ itself. Taken from the latin ‘plantare’, it originally means ‘to fix in place’ or to ‘drive into the ground’. The idea here is that plant machinery is considered a fixed asset. This term seems to have come up first around the 1789, describing the idea that a building is planted in its location.

What machines fall under the term ‘plant’?

In general, you can assume that machinery or equipment are items that aren’t operated solely by hand. This can include plant machinery and small plant machinery in collaboration.

At Jay Bee Sales, we have a wide range of plant machinery including excavators, dumpers, rollers, telehandlers and backhoe loaders. Any one of these machines allows you to focus on creating a professional construction job where projects can be completed swiftly and effectively.

Are there any other burning questions you’ve been milling over around the construction industry and specifically, the machinery used within it? Get in touch today and let our team to see if we can provide you with the much needed answers. We have over 40 years experience in supplying used machinery to the UK and exporting worldwide from our family-run depot. Alongside the most competitive prices, we carry some of the best brands on the market including Caterpillar and JCB.

And, if you have any further information (historical or make-believe) as to why we call them plant machinery, let us know too. Otherwise we’ll just keep swirling these questions around and around in our heads until we get our hands on the latest English dictionary.