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.”

Finance & Funding

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Loading and hauling machine improvements will boost quarry production
    July 4, 2014
    Major advances are being seen in the market for loading and hauling machines, with manufacturers developing new solutions for the quarry segment in particular- Mike Woof writes Wheeled loaders and rigid chassis dump trucks are key movers in many quarry operations. New develop-ments have seen the introduction of several new models from key players.
    Read More
  • Improving excavator efficiency with Trimble
    December 11, 2018
    A new development from Trimble is the integration of its LOADRITE load weighing system for excavators using the Earthworks Grade Control package. According to the firm, this will allow customers to boost productivity and efficiency for excavation work. Contractors will be able to track the load carried in each bucket and monitor mass haul progress. This can provide an accurate picture, real-time picture of earthworks progress using the Trimble Earthworks monitor fitted in the machine. This data will also be
    Read More
  • Concrete runway paving in the US
    December 15, 2017
    A new Wirtgen SP 94i slipform paver has helped deliver the successful reconstruction of a runway in the US state of Missouri. With more than 30,000 take-offs and landings a year, Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF) is one of the most heavily frequented airports in Missouri. Thousands of visitors travel through it every day on their way to the government and congress offices in the state capital on the Missouri River. At the end of April 2016, work commenced on the reconstruction of a runway approximately
    Read More
  • High precision concrete production
    February 24, 2012
    Innovative plants are coming to the market to produce various types of concrete including new mixes as Patrick Smith reports
    Read More

Highlighted Content