Skip to main content

Hitachi upgrades European mini excavator facility

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) has upgraded its European mini excavator factory to boost manufacturing efficiency. The firm has officially opened its mini and compact excavator factory at Oosterhout, in the Netherlands. The new 8,000m2 facility is the result of an extensive modernisation programme, which commenced in January 2018. The firm says that the upgrade will increase efficiency at the factory that is responsible for producing the ZX10 to ZX85 models. It will also meet the growing
July 19, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Hitachi has officially opened its new mini excavator facility in the Netherlands

233 Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (1139 HCME) has upgraded its European mini excavator factory to boost manufacturing efficiency. The firm has officially opened its mini and compact excavator factory at Oosterhout, in the Netherlands. The new 8,000m2 facility is the result of an extensive modernisation programme, which commenced in January 2018.

The firm says that the upgrade will increase efficiency at the factory that is responsible for producing the ZX10 to ZX85 models. It will also meet the growing demand for Hitachi mini and compact excavators across Europe.

The factory’s general manager, Marco Verhoef, said, “We have already doubled our output since 2014 from 2,500 to 5,000 machines by 2018. The renovation of the factory was necessary to help us grow further, and will enable us to produce more than 7,000 machines/year, according to market demand.”

As part of the upgrade, a state-of-the-art, semi-automatic assembly line has been installed, as well as new equipment and paint booths. The staff at the factory have adopted a new approach, which means completing tasks within a certain amount of time, optimising work flow. Inventory has also been reduced by following the latest lean manufacturing methods.


“Thanks to all of our dedicated personnel, we now have a fully redesigned and modernised factory, and are very proud of what we have achieved. We are ready for the future, to supply more machines at shorter delivery times and lower costs.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • 2-4 year-old construction equipment tops buyer ‘wish list’
    May 11, 2012
    A leading used construction equipment auctioneer firm boss believes equipment aged between 2 and 4 years is now topping buyers’ ‘wish lists’, as 1 to 2-year-old used stocks deplete. Jonnie Keys, General Manager of Euro Auctions, said that with the cost of new equipment currently up by around 20% on prices in June 2009, the used market is still strong. “Euro Auctions has repeatedly seen over 30% of all plant sold leaving the UK and Europe for projects in Australia, South Africa, South America, Central Ameri
  • Topcon’s new earthmoving machine control system
    March 12, 2018
    Topcon Positioning Group announces a new 3D machine control system designed to offer a faster, modular and easily upgradeable aftermarket solution for excavation — the X-53x. “It features fully integrated GR-i3 receivers for precise positioning of the boom, stick and bucket at all times, as well as the MC-X1 controller, which offers compatibility with all brands and models of excavators and provides a customisable machine control platform to address future project demands,” said Murray Lodge, senior vice
  • G&Z is seeing healthy sales for pavers
    May 15, 2019
    Guntert & Zimmerman (G&Z) is experiencing healthy sales for its concrete pavers, with the factory also benefiting from upgrades. Improved manufacturing processes at the G&Z factory in Ripon, California, will help reduce delivery times for customers. This is important given the strong orders that the G&Z plant is handling at present, with the workforce also the highest for many decades. Rolf Guntert is executive vice president, sales and said, “We’re continuing to grow.”
  • Mobile crushing and screening machine advances
    July 23, 2018
    A series of major new advances are being seen in the crushing and screening equipment market – Mike Woof writes New developments are coming for the aggregate production sector, with a host of new technologies for the crushing and screening segment. These new machines are said to be more versatile, more productive, more efficient and offer a lower cost/tonne than any equipment available previously. CDE claims that its new AggMax 163-SR scrubbing and attrition system features an efficient new RotoMax logw