Skip to main content

Hitachi restructuring its European factories

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) intends to reorganise its European manufacturing operations. The firm has two factories in Oosterhout and Amsterdam and is making the change in a bid to boost both efficiency and competitiveness, with this move planned to be complete by April 2018. The current Oosterhout factory is to focus its entire operation on mini and compact excavators, ranging from 1-8tonnes. Hitachi says that its market share in this segment has risen significantly in recent years
March 14, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Hitachi is reorganising its European manufacturing operations in a bid to boost capacity
233 Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (1139 HCME) intends to reorganise its European manufacturing operations. The firm has two factories in Oosterhout and Amsterdam and is making the change in a bid to boost both efficiency and competitiveness, with this move planned to be complete by April 2018.

The current Oosterhout factory is to focus its entire operation on mini and compact excavators, ranging from 1-8tonnes. Hitachi says that its market share in this segment has risen significantly in recent years and the move will help to meet growing demand by increasing production by more than 50%.

Hitachi will also set up a new distribution centre, which together with the Oosterhout factory will serve as a hub for the delivery of mini and compact excavators. Customers will benefit from considerably shorter delivery times.

Hitachi has made several investments in the Oosterhout factory in recent years, which have vastly improved its overall efficiency and quality standards.

In line with the restructure, production of the ZX85 excavator will move from the Amsterdam factory to Oosterhout. Assembly of Hitachi’s special application machines (including demolition, super long front and clamshell telescopic arm excavators) will move to the Amsterdam factory from Oosterhout later this year. HCME is confident that there will be no compulsory redundancies and any permanent staff affected by the restructure will be redeployed elsewhere within the company.

HCME Director Production and Procurement, Kazutoshi Yoshioka said, “The main objective of the factory restructure is to increase production efficiency and performance in response to growing demand. This is one of the many steps we are taking as a world-leading construction machinery supplier that continuously strives to meet its customers’ needs. I am confident that our competitive position in the market will be enhanced as a result, so that we can continue to be relied upon as a trusted business partner by our customers.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • JCB opens Brazilian factory
    December 3, 2012
    US$32.45 billion of infrastructure improvements are scheduled in Brazil and companies are looking to capitalise on this JCB’s new US$100 million factory in Brazil has been officially opened as the company strengthens its position in rapidly-expanding Latin American markets. At full capacity, the new plant will have the capability to produce 10,000 machines a year, and it replaces two smaller plants in Sorocaba, São Paulo State, the first of which JCB opened in 2001 to produce backhoe loaders, and the second
  • IRF’s Marrakech regional event focuses on North Africa
    April 12, 2013
    A series of dynamic meetings in Marrakech signal the forward direction of IRF Geneva as it gears up for a bright new era as a global voice of the road sector. As these pages go to press, IRF Geneva is just emerging from a very rewarding regional conference focusing on North Africa and the Mediterranean that took place from 19-20 March, 2013. The success of this high-level gathering, organised in association with the Moroccan Road Association and Moroccan Motorways (Autoroutes du Maroc), reflects IRF Geneva’
  • New Trimble research lab at Purdue
    September 28, 2023
    A new Trimble research lab is being established at Purdue University.
  • Cat 'first' at Moscow show
    March 7, 2012
    Building on an 80-year history of serving customers in Russia, Caterpillar used the first CONEXPO Russia trade show in Moscow to unveil the first hydraulic excavator assembled at its facility in Tosno, Russia.