Skip to main content

Hitachi Europe appoints new CEO & president

Makoto Yamazawa has taken over as president and CEO of Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe (HCME). Having joined Hitachi straight out of university, Yamazawa has had a long and varied career within the firm and said, “My first position was as a domestic sales rep.” The role in Europe is a challenging one as HCME sells machines into 40 countries, while its equipment ranges from small rental products right up to the large mining trucks and shovels. Yamazawa has considerable experience of Hitachi’s mining e
April 13, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Yamazawa: new president and CEO for Europe
Makoto Yamazawa has taken over as president and CEO of 233 Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe (HCME). Having joined Hitachi straight out of university, Yamazawa has had a long and varied career within the firm and said, “My first position was as a domestic sales rep.”

The role in Europe is a challenging one as HCME sells machines into 40 countries, while its equipment ranges from small rental products right up to the large mining trucks and shovels. Yamazawa has considerable experience of Hitachi’s mining equipment range having headed up that business for 10 years. He said this is one sector he has already identified as having major potential and commented, “I think I could do something with our mining machines in Africa and the Middle East.”

However, he is also keen to build on the firm’s strong existing market share for excavators, as well as developing sales of the smaller rental machines. The firm’s financial figures are due to be released at the end of April and Yamazawa said, “I can’t disclose these now.”

During the year, Hitachi also has an intensive programme scheduled for key product launches, while the firm will build on its existing network and further develop its coverage. Yamazawa said, “In 2016 we will continue to roll out our Stage IV products and we will continue to expand our dealer network.” He added that additions to the network includes coverage for Serbia.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Yanmar restructuring European operations in France and Germany
    March 22, 2017
    Yanmar is restructuring its construction equipment and compact equipment supply operations in Europe. The firm is integrating the management of its French and German subsidiaries into single organisation. With the sales offices based at Bezannes ing France, Yanmar Compact Equipment will handle sales, marketing and distribution of the firm’s compact equipment, as well as the Schaeff brand machines. These products will be produced in Yanmar’s factories at Saint-Dizier in France, Crailsheim in Germany and
  • HIDROMEK reaches milestone
    February 19, 2021
    HIDROMEK has reached a key sales milestone.
  • Attitude is key to sustainability, says Volvo CE’s Thomas Bitter
    June 27, 2018
    Whether you are in the global Volvo Ocean Race or working on-site locally, sustainability is about attitude as much as technology. David Arminas reports. Technology, sustainability and safety. We ignore these often related themes at our peril. This was the key point made by Volvo Group chief executive Martin Lundstedt during his brief opening presentation at the start of the Building Tomorrow Conference in Spain last October. The conference took place within the harbour of Alicante that was bustling wit
  • LiuGong 900E excavators “very key” for company future
    January 6, 2017
    A senior LiuGong figure says the company’s keenly awaited 900E Series excavator is a “very key machine” for its future. Dave Beatenbough, vice president of the Chinese construction equipment manufacturing giant’s research and development arm, said production of the model at LiuGong’s Dressta base in Poland was expected to begin “within three months”.