Hitachi Construction Machinery Co is celebrating seven decades since the start of full-scale production of its excavators.
The company’s first mechanical excavator – the U05 – was developed by Hitachi Ltd and used to help rebuild post-war Japan. Hitachi had developed this excavator with in-house technology in 1949 and fully entered the construction machinery market in 1950 with the mass production of its successor, the U06.
The HCM subsidiary was established in Japan in 1970, followed by its European subsidiary, Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) in The Netherlands in 1972.
In Europe, HCME has evolved into a multinational organisation, with production facilities in The Netherlands and supported by an extensive dealer network.
To mark the 70th anniversary, there will be various online and printed materials featuring legendary Hitachi machines of the past.
In addition, Hitachi Construction Machinery Group also introduced “JCMG” (Japan Construction Machinery Global) as a certification of quality assurance to customers. HCM says the JCMG mark symbolises its desire to deliver high-quality construction machinery to global customers. The mark has been placed on HCM-branded products since January.
“Our construction machinery has a huge impact on society, as it is used to create the buildings and infrastructure that are essential to our daily lives,” he says. “We’re proud to have played our part in Hitachi’s rich history and look forward to the future, to take on new challenges and continue exceeding the expectations of our loyal customers.”
Hitachi has recently introduced the next generation Zaxis-7 medium and large excavators. The Stage-V compliant machines are designed to improve profitability for owners, with exceptional fuel-efficiency and reliability, and offer high levels of comfort and safety for operators.
