by Nick Drew | Tue 23 Jul 2024
Hillhead Heavyweight Highlights
HD Hyundai Construction Equipment stole the show with the massive 100-tonne class HX1000 hydraulic excavator which although only displayed statically, wowed the visiting crowds who assembled on the Hyundai stand. I was on the stand all of the Wednesday morning, and can say, the big machine was a magnet for visitors to Hillhead, and it wasn’t hard to see why!
The other big attraction on the HD Hyundai stand was the HL985A which is the Korean manufacturers largest wheeled loading shovel to date. Powered by a Cummins diesel engine producing 265kW (420hp), the machine features a bucket capacity ranging from 5.00m3 – 6.30m3 depending on spec, enabling the machine to fill trucks with just two-passes.
Fresh from its appearance at Intermat in Paris, Marubeni-Komatsu presented the 95-tonne Komatsu PC950LC-11 with the latest upgrade of the HD605-10 rigid dumptruck. The truck features a 578kW (778hp) Komatsu diesel engine, a maximum payload of 63-tonnes and a body capacity of 40m3.
LiuGong presented some heavyweights of their own, both diesel and electric powered. Making its European debut at Hillhead, was the 75-tonne class 975F hydraulic excavator. Like many other machines in the LiuGong range, this excavator is fitted with blue-chip components, like the Stage V emission compliant Cummins diesel engine which produces 510hp and twin Kawasaki hydraulic pump, offering a combined flow rate of 2 x 504 l/min.
Going large with the battery powered machines, LiuGong presented the 870HE wheeled loader in its distinctive day glow green livery that has been adopted by LiuGong for its electric machines. This model features a 4.7m3 bucket this example being an Ulrich Hi-Tip version. One thing I noticed on the LiuGong stand was a lot of new faces compared to the days when I was working closely with them, still a few familiar ones though who were great to catch up with again.
Biggest machine on the Develon Europe stand was the DA45-7 articulated dumptruck which offers a payload of 41-tonnes. These Norwegian built trucks have a long-standing heritage in the ADT sector and are well proven in the field. Like its smaller brother the DA30-7 the DA45-7 features an articulation hinge positioned behind the turning ring to provide equal weight distribution to the front axle even during maximum steer articulation.
This combined with a free-swinging rear tandem bogie ensures equal distribution of weight to each wheel and guarantees permanent 6-wheel contact and drive for equal power distribution and excellent performance particularly on difficult terrains such as soft ground, uneven surfaces, very steep slopes, tight turns or a combination of all of these difficult conditions.
Liebherr GB presented a stunning looking Generation 8 model R 938 hydraulic excavator in an all-white & grey livery of Skillings who have purchased this machine for its quarrying operations. The 40-tonne class machine was displayed loading the award-winning TA 230 articulated dumptruck. Liebherr Group is celebrating its 75th year in business in 2024 an incredible milestone.
Revealed to the press and customers at the Volvo Days event in Sweden earlier this year, SMT GB presented the new 50-tonne class EC500 and the 40-tonne EC400 at Hillhead. These machines feature a whole host of improvements and new technology and certainly impressed me from my time in the seat in Eskilstuna, which you can read about in the current edition of Earthmovers Magazine.
On the Bell Equipment UK stand one of the standout products for me was the B45E 4x4 model, which has been purchased by Brooklands Sand & Aggregates Ltd and will be working fairly local to me down in the South West in due course. The South African based manufacturer is celebrating 70 years in business this year and was celebrating in some style at Hillhead with an extensive range of products and a public appearance of its autonomous ADT prototype.
Hitachi Construction Equipment UK were once again in their familiar spot in the corner adjacent to the demo quarry face. Working on that face was the Zaxis 530LCH-7 and when we passed by plant operator and internet influencer Lloyd Peckham aka Bearded Excavation was putting in a shift on the machine.
Which ever way you look at it, Hillhead is a very spectacular show, although the lack of a good internet signal is still a big problem for those of us involved in the crazy world of the construction machinery social media scene, and that walk out of the quarry is still a killer at the end of a long day!
Checkout a our short video clip from the demo area below.