Hitachi excavators and suppliers pass the test for performance, quality and reliability in Germany
Richard Schulz Tiefbau GmbH has invested in two new Hitachi medium excavators supplied by the authorised Hitachi dealer in Germany, Kiesel. The contractor has added a ZX300LCN-6 and ZX225USLC-5 to its fleet of construction machinery after testing four different brands of 20-tonne short-tail swing machines.
Precise hydraulics
The impressive level of performance of the company’s first Zaxis excavator, a ZX170W-3 purchased in 2012, led to Hitachi’s inclusion in the test. “We have been evaluating our Hitachi wheeled excavator over the years and there have been no problems – it has passed with distinction,” says Richard Schulz Tiefbau’s Workshop Manager, Markus Winkler. “We rented the four different crawler machines for the selection process, so there was no bias, and assessed the opinions of our operators,” adds Markus. “They liked the precision of the Hitachi hydraulic system and that led to the purchase of two new Z axis machines.”
Complete reliability
The Hitachi ZX225USLC-5 and ZX300LCN-6 are both covered with full-service contracts, indicating the importance of dealer support for Richard Schulz Tiefbau. “Our mentality is to test the quality of the supplier as well as the machine,” adds Markus. “It’s not an overnight decision – the whole package has to be right. As far as the Hitachi excavators are concerned, they are completely reliable and I believe that the price/quality ratio is excellent. Our local Kiesel branch at Himmelkron is always quick to help, we have a close working relationship and I am very happy with the quality of service.”
House-building project
With its head office in Neuburg an der Donau in Bavaria, Richard Schulz Tiefbau GmbH has 12 branches across southern Germany and employs approximately 1,200 people. Founded in 1898 in Poland, the company relocated to Germany in 1921 and has expanded significantly over the decades, building a reputation for reliability and performance.
Its current range of activities includes road construction, earthmoving, civil engineering and utilities. The company’s ZX300LCN-6 was employed on a house-building project on a rural site near its Buttenheim branch on the outskirts of Nuremberg. The machine demonstrated its versatility by lifting pipes on to delivery trucks and digging trenches for the 1,000m of sewage and water pipelines.
Once in place, the pipes are covered up in readiness for the next stage of the project. Richard Schulz Tiefbau is preparing the way for 37 new housing sites on behalf of the local authority in the metropolitan area of Nuremberg. It has also been contracted to construct the road that will go through the centre of the development.
Best machine
Andreas Maul, an operator with more than two decades’ experience, is enthusiastic about the addition of this new ZX300LCN-6 to the fleet, “It’s a top machine! I mainly use it for earthmoving jobs and loading trucks, although sometimes I change the bucket for an attachment to spread chalk. I like the ergonomic design of the operating controls and it is really precise for removing top soil. The power and capacity are strong points, and it is also fast and easy to operate. The seat is very comfortable and there is ample legroom. I’ve been particularly impressed by the low fuel consumption – this is the best machine that I’ve operated in the past 20 years!”
