Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe (HCME) plans to move its production and assembly activities currently taking place in Oosterhout, the Netherlands, to the company's existing production site in Amsterdam.
HCME says this will enable the firm to focus on producing customised machines that are increasingly in demand among its dealers across Europe. Meanwhile, the production and assembly of standard machines will be left to the factories in Japan.
The consultation process with the Works Council and the discussions with the trade unions on the proposed production relocation have now started. HCME expects to complete these discussions after the summer, with the company aiming to complete the Amsterdam production transition in December 2021.
HCME says that while it is keen to safeguard jobs and ‘guarantee the continuity of the company’ via the new business model, up to 115 jobs may be cut in the course of 2021.
The company says the new business model will also see additional investment in innovations in areas including service, parts, training and lease/rental.
