First 115-tonne machine for UK’s largest long-reach fleet
SPECIALIST plant hire company Land & Water Plant have launched their largest and most productive long-reach excavator on to the UK market.
Based on a Hitachi ZX850 and with an operating weight of 115 tonnes, the original machine has been fitted with a triple articulated arm to provide a maximum reach of 22m and features a standard 4.2 cu m bucket that can hold up to 8 tonnes of material.
Since its original unveiling at Hillhead in 2007, and following extensive trials, the ZX850 has been excavating river gravels at Inverness Marina on the Moray Firth, where it has proved to be almost twice as productive as traditional long-reach machines of a similar size.
Land & Water say its high productivity not only significantly reduces the cost per tonne produced by the machine, but also cuts fuel costs and emissions in half, in part due to the new efficient engine, but mainly because of its ability to dig almost twice as much per day than other machines using a similar amount of fuel.
Richard Maclean, director of Land & Water Plant, said: ‘The ZX850 will out-dig all other machines of its size and puts traditional long-reach machines in the shade. But this is not just about size, the triple articulated boom allows the machine to be far more versatile than a standard long-reach machine, as it can dig large volumes close in as well as within its long outreach.’
The excavator is fitted with a Prolec Digmaster system, which presents dig depth and angles to the operator and can be set to prevent the machine undercutting itself in quarrying applications. The machine is also equipped with real-time GPS for accurate digging, even underwater.
According to Land & Water, the machine is easy to transport by road – the dipper is removed with the bucket attached and transported separately in a specially designed cradle equipped with lifting points. The cradle also doubles as a raised platform, allowing the operator to inspect the arm in safety and minimizing the risks associated with working at height.
The ZX850 marks the culmination of a £3 million investment in new Hitachi excavators by Land & Water during the past 18 months, including the purchase of a ZX350 with 22m reach, a ZX350 with 18m reach and a ZX280 with 18m reach, as well as Europe’s first ZX225 ultra-short-radius long-reach machines.
