Diggers Hillhead 2022 Highlights: Hitachi CM UK

Continuing our coverage of what was probably the most successful Hillhead Show I have ever attended; we kick off the week with a look at Hitachi.

I’ve always been a fan of Hitachi excavators, having even owned and ran a couple back in my days of dabbling in the rough, tough world of owner/operating!

Hitachi Construction Machinery UK had a bit of everything on their stand at Hillhead, with examples from the past, present and what will be the future.

My attention was immediately drawn to the immaculately restored UH063 hydraulic excavator a machine that has previously, greeted visitors to the company’s headquarters in the North East.

The machine was auctioned off at the show with all the £25,000 proceeds going to The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. The classic excavator went to the highest bidder, Paul Poulter, Director of Surrey Excavations, who I’m sure will be giving it a loving home. They were without a doubt, an amazing excavator in their day.

I was delighted to catch up once more with Hitachi CMUK’s Karsten Beckmann, who I had not seen for some years, when he came out to visit me, while operating Cosham Plant Hire’s Pink Charity machine in Basingstoke.

New machines on the stand included models from the latest Zaxis Dash-7 range, comprising a 50-tonne class ZX530LCN-7 and Zaxis ZX135US tracked machines and a 16-tonne class Zaxis ZX155W-7 wheeled excavator.

On the demo area Hitachi also had a ZX225USR-7 hydraulic excavator working and ZW310-7 wheeled loader.

The future was also represented by the new Hitachi ZE85, the 8-tonne class electric powered midi excavator, which made its first public appearance in the UK at the Futureworx event earlier this year.

Checkout our video walkaround of the HCMUK stand.