West African contractor relies on Hitachi medium excavators

Three Hitachi excavators are working on a $30million government-funded coastal defence project in Ghana. Xara Developers has invested in two Hitachi ZX350LCH-3Gs and one ZX470LCH-5G for the construction of a 2km revetment along the Gulf of Guinea coastline. Measuring 5.5m high, it will protect the town of Aboadze, surrounding communities and a nearby thermal power station, from damage caused by tidal waves.

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The company took delivery of the three Hitachi models in January 2015 from regional Hitachi dealer DEM Ghana. Each has a two-year/4,000-hour service contract. Head Mechanical Engineer Jan Dekker explains the main reasons behind the investment: “Hitachi has been operating in Africa for a long time. With such a time-sensitive project, we needed to choose a company and equipment we could rely on. In addition, our relationship with DEM Ghana is excellent.”

The Hitachi models, designed to offer exceptional durability in tough working conditions, are used for a wide range of applications on the site. These include earthmoving, moving large rocks in order to construct the revetment, keeping areas of the beach clear to allow vehicles to pass, and creating small stockpiles of rocks for later use.

Minimal downtime

Project Manager Niels Elsnab says: “On a project such as this, the weather often dictates our processes,” explains Niels. “Sometimes we are unable to work due to the tide, so when we do, it is important we don’t have any problems with our equipment. The Hitachi machines work very well, and we have minimal downtime. They’re also durable, which is vital to this type of work. I can only strongly recommend Hitachi construction machinery.”

Preparations for the project began in 2013 and the revetment is due to be completed in January 2016. This job is the first of its kind to be given to a local contractor. Established in 2009 and based in Accra, Xara Developers is an important player in the Ghanaian quarrying industry, and also specialises in construction, and marine and coastal engineering works.