New Hitachi Zaxis excavator for Icelandic contractor
Durability is key as BB og Synir take delivery of the country’s first ZX250LC-6 machine
BB og Synir have purchased a Hitachi ZX250LC-6 medium excavator to work on road construction and house-building projects in Snæfellsnes, Iceland. The delivery of the country’s first Zaxis-6 excavator in July 2016 by local dealers Vélafl was perfectly timed for the contractor’s busy summer period, as Iceland’s construction industry grinds to a halt in harsh winter conditions.
Twins Hafthór and Sævar Benediktsson founded the Stykkishólmur-based contracting company in December 1998. They bought their first Hitachi Zaxis machine, a ZX250LC-3, in 2007, and after nine years of reliable service with this machine, they decided to invest in the new dash-6 equivalent. The latest model has been fitted with a tilt rotator, additional lights and a central greasing system, all of which are commonly requested by Icelandic contractors.
These accessory features further enhance the machine’s versatility for a wide range of tasks, from loading materials on to trucks at BB og Synir’s lava rock quarry, to digging out foundations for new houses. One of its first jobs was to widen and raise a small road – that leads to a fish-drying processing plant – before building up the verge with soil to prepare it for asphalt.
‘We decided to buy a Hitachi because we were really happy with the service from Vélafl,’ said Sævar Benediktsson. ‘I also like the size of the machine for our typical projects, and we had an excellent track record with the Zaxis-3 model – it was even suitable for drainage work on soft ground.’
He continued: ‘My first impression is that the ZX250LC-6 is quieter and smoother to operate than our previous model. In fact, on its first earthmoving and loading job, it was so quiet that I had to check to make sure it was running at full rev/min. It feels like it has been completely redesigned. The control panel is well laid out and the machine is suited to precise jobs such as this.’
In addition, Mr Benediktsson believes the new machine compares favourably with the competition: ‘The most important aspect of this machine is that it is the strongest and most durable for our tough working conditions. The auto-shutdown feature is also useful when the operator is working in the quarry and having to climb in and out of the cab to drive one of the trucks as well.
‘From a business outlook, the fuel consumption is excellent – we now have to fill up every third day, rather than every other day. And from an operator’s perspective, there is now easier access for checking the lubricant and water levels as part of our routine maintenance procedures.’
