Seven decades of Hitachi innovation
Company started full-scale production of mechanical excavators 70 years ago this year
THIS is a special year for Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd (HCM), as 2020 marks seven decades since the start of full-scale production of the company’s iconic mechanical excavators, the first of which – the U05 – was developed and used to help rebuild post-war Japan.
Hitachi Ltd successfully developed the U05 using in-house technology in 1949 and fully entered the construction machinery market in 1950 with the mass production of its successor, the U06. The HCM subsidiary was established in Japan in 1970, followed by the company’s European subsidiary, Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME), in The Netherlands in 1972.
Over the decades, Hitachi have become a market-leading brand, globally renowned for reliability. In Europe, HCME has evolved into a successful multinational organization, with production facilities in The Netherlands supported by an extensive dealer network.
To mark this special year, Hitachi Construction Machinery Group introduced ‘JCMG’ (Japan Construction Machinery Global) as a certification of quality assurance to customers. The ‘JCMG’ mark symbolizes HCM’s desire to deliver high-quality construction machinery to global customers and has been placed on all HCM-branded products since January.
HCME president Makoto Yamazawa said: ‘Our construction machinery has a huge impact on society, as it is used to create the buildings and infrastructure that are essential to our daily lives. We’re proud to have played our part in Hitachi’s rich history and look forward to the future, to take on new challenges and continue exceeding the expectations of our loyal customers.’
The next chapters of the Hitachi story are already unfolding, with the recent introduction of the next-generation Zaxis-7 medium and large excavators. These Stage-V compliant machines are designed to improve profitability for owners by providing high levels of fuel-efficiency and reliability, along with superior levels of comfort and safety for operators.
