Change of look for Hitachi

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) has redesigned the demonstration area at its headquarters in Amsterdam to showcase a wider variety of machines in a more attractive and technologically advanced environment.

The official opening coincided with the introduction of the ZX210X-6 ICT hydraulic excavator with machine control to the European market.

The enlarged area at the front of the building has been created to enhance the experience of customers visiting HCME.

From the comfort of a seat in the auditorium, visitors will be able to hear the operator in the cab during product demonstrations and see exactly what they are doing, thanks to the installation of a new microphone and camera system.

“Previously, I could only give explanations from the cab to one or two people, but now I can share it with 90 people in the auditorium,” said Frank van Neste, demonstrator for the product management and engineering department at HCME.

Frank led the redesign project, with support from HCME general manager product management and engineering Burkhard Janssen and product manager Wilbert Blom.

Work on the new area took six months to prepare and was completed within six weeks.

“The original demo area was built in 2002 and it was only possible to show four or five machines,” said Frank.

“We wanted to make it more attractive to visitors, and to update it with new technology, so it would be ready for the launch of the ZX210X-6 ICT hydraulic excavator with machine control, and to better demonstrate Hitachi’s ICT construction solutions.”

The demonstration area has been extended by 10 m (33 ft) either side to give an additional 1,500 sq m (16,150 sq ft) of space.