Hitachi ZX350LCH-3Gs are a hit in West African quarry

Two Hitachi ZX350LCH-3Gs recently acquired by West African company Logistics Support Services (LSS) are proving invaluable assets to operations at the Arigu Rock quarry, located close to Tamale in northern Ghana. The medium Zaxis-3 excavators are working across the 45-acre site to excavate granite materials for use in road construction and concrete works, among others.

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Acquired in early 2015 by LSS, the Arigu Rock quarry holds enough materials to sustain an operation for over 50 years. The site’s 24 employees work 16 hours a day in eight-hour shifts to supply aggregates to customers, such as Brazilian firms Queiroz Galvão and Andrade Gutierrez, as well as local businesses.

The ZX350LCH-3G excavators were supplied to LSS in May 2015 by authorised African Hitachi dealer DEM Group’s regional subsidiary, DEM Ghana. With a reputation for reliability and productivity, and as a result of their durable design, the machines are ideal for working in tough conditions and under extreme temperatures in Africa.

Fitted with a hammer attachment and bucket, the two Hitachi excavators make a perfect team on site. After the area has been cleared of topsoil and clay, and the rock has been blasted, the ZX350LCH-3Gs break down, sort and load the rocks, gravel and sand on to the site’s dump trucks and lorries.

The raw materials are then deposited into the primary crusher to be processed into various sizes of aggregates: 0-0.5mm, 0.5-10mm, 14mm, 20mm and 25mm. In total, the quarry produces 500m³ of materials per day.

Site Manager Alhassan Dawda explains that the team’s greatest challenge to date was finding reliable equipment that worked for them, and he believes Hitachi was the best choice: “We looked at a number of other products available on the market. However, we were recommended to choose Hitachi and told that their products were the best. We’ve certainly found that to be true of these excavators. The mechanical components are very well made, and the fuel consumption is minimal when compared to other machines. We intend to buy more Hitachi excavators in the future.”

In addition, Alhassan has received positive feedback on the machines from his team. Operator Opoku Agyemang Clement says, “I love working with the ZX350LCH-3G. It’s efficient and helps me to work quickly. It’s also very comfortable and reliable, which means I feel relaxed while I work. When I’m working with this excavator, I’m very happy.”