Dutch contractor takes delivery of first two Zaxis-7 medium excavators

The first Hitachi Zaxis-7 medium excavators in The Netherlands have been successfully delivered to Grondverzetbedrijf Oosterveld BV, based in Bornerbroek in the east of the country. The ZX350LC-7 arrived in May and was followed in September by the ZX250LC-7. Both machines were supplied by Timmerman BV, an authorised sub-dealer of Hitachi Construction Machinery Nederland.

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Grondverzetbedrijf Oosterveld BV specialises in earthmoving and infrastructure, and sister company Oosterveld Sloopwerken BV focuses on demolition activities. They operate in their home country and Germany, as well as Denmark, France and the UK (upon request). Company directors Frank and Tom Oosterveld, who took over from their father, Jan, earlier this year, decided to invest in the new Zaxis-7 models after attending an event in Amsterdam. “We saw the machines for ourselves and spoke to other Hitachi customers – their feedback was really valuable,” says Frank.

“We knew of the brand’s strong reputation, as we had a ZX460 large excavator many years ago,” adds Tom. “Initially we had wanted to try something new, so we tested several brands and asked our operators for their opinions. During that time, we had a ZX210LC-6 to try out. The operator was very happy with the machine’s ease-of-use and that’s why we selected Hitachi.”

They chose the ZX250LC-7 and ZX350LC-7 as much of their work requires machines compliant with the latest Stage V emission regulations. The ZX350-7 was used at a job site in Almelo to dig trenches and lay sewer pipes before the construction of a new factory for energy company VDL.

“The biggest challenge is to lay the pipes, so they fit seamlessly, as fast as possible,” explains Frank. “So, it’s important to have a fast and precise machine. We needed the ZX350-7 to handle the heavy 1,200mm pipes.”

In addition to speed and precision, the new Hitachi excavator offers an exceptionally comfortable cab. Operator Martijn Hooiveld, who has around 20 years of experience, says: “This machine is easy to use and very comfortable. I’m really impressed by the Aerial Angle 270° camera system, as sometimes I have to work in tight spaces, and this gives me a good view of busy job sites.”

Martijn is also happy with the controls in the cab, particularly the joysticks: “All the buttons are in the right place, you can control the windscreen wiper and make the engine idle through the buttons on the joysticks.”