Hitachi Premium Used mini excavator starts work at unique conservation project

A Hitachi ZX38U-5 mini excavator has been delivered to the first elephant sanctuary in Europe. The Premium Used machine was donated by Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME), and handed over to the founders of Elephant Haven in southwest France in September.

Advertisement

The versatile short-tail swing model is suitable for a variety of tasks at the 70-acre site in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Supplied with three buckets, it will be used to build fences, dig trenches and create mud pools. After the first three elephants arrive in 2018, the ZX38U-5 will maintain sand boxes in the barn and make sand piles on which they will sleep. It will also be used to move tree trunks and logs, and maintain streams and lakes.

Renowned for quality

Founders Tony Verhulst and Sofie Goetghebeur were delighted with the arrival of their Hitachi machine. “The excavator is very important for the project,” says Sofie. “Now it has arrived, the heavy work can really start. We chose Hitachi because it’s a well-known brand, renowned for quality and reliability.”

Following the official handover, HCME Product Specialist Joep van den Maagdenberg demonstrated to Tony and Sofie how to operate and maintain the machine on a daily basis.

Contributing to society

HCME Manager Marketing Ghislaine Jonker says: “Hitachi decided to get involved with Elephant Haven because it is in line with our corporate social responsibility to contribute to society and create a better sustainable environment. Everyone who has been involved at Hitachi, from our sales and after-sales departments, and our dealer in The Netherlands, has felt proud to work on such a unique project.”

Before delivery, the ZX38U-5 was prepared at HCME’s Oosterhout factory in The Netherlands as part of the Hitachi Premium Used programme. This involves a rigorous inspection and refurbishment process, carried out using only Hitachi Genuine Parts and lubricants, according to Hitachi specifications. The result is a high-quality second-hand machine with approved Hitachi warranty.