ZX890LCR-7 makes history in the Aargau Jura mountains

After 30 years of service, the Swiss company Steinbruch Mellikon AG has complemented its two longstanding production machines, which are slowly becoming redundant after more than 20,000 hours, with a new Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM) ZX890LCR-7. This landmark investment in the latest technology is of historic significance, especially for a limestone quarry that was established in 1912 to the north-west of Zurich in the Aargau Jura mountains.

Steinbruch Mellikon AG’s Managing Director André Schärer has worked for the company for 16 years and now has responsibility for the whole operation, including a team of 16 colleagues. It was his recommendation that led to the purchase of the biggest model in the Zaxis-7 large excavator range from Probst Maveg, the Swiss dealer of Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV.

A durable machine for quarrying

“Our previous supplier no longer manufactures excavators, and there were also increasingly limited options available to service our previous machines,” he explains. “We considered three leading brands of quarrying equipment and I quickly formed a good relationship with Probst Maveg, who were very professional throughout the negotiations.”

As part of the decision-making process, André was able to take his main operator Giuseppe Lavorato to Germany, where he tried out the same model. “It’s important that an experienced operator like Giuseppe is happy with the machine, so that he can have no complaints afterwards,” he adds.

“Our first impressions were that it was not a complicated excavator to use, with no unnecessary buttons or features. It quickly became apparent that the Hitachi was the robust machine that we needed for the tough job site conditions in the Mellikon quarry.”

A reliable and fuel efficient excavator

In addition, Probst Maveg was able to offer a better and prompt delivery time compared to the competition. Steinbruch Mellikon AG ordered the BER version (shorter, reinforced boom and arm) of the ZX890LCR-7 with a 5m³ bucket. It also was delivered with a 6,000-hour service contract, with the first 4,000 hours on full service for the duration of the warranty period, and a subsequent maintenance-only contract.

With 1,500 working hours on the site, the ZX890LCR-7 has made a strong impression on André and his team: “The main benefits of the new machine after one year are reliability and fuel economy! The fuel consumption is impressive and is approximately half of the previous machine. The limestone materials are relatively soft and make life easier for excavators, for example there is little wear on the bucket.”

André is equally impressed with the after-sales support from Probst Maveg: “The service that comes with the machine is vital, because if it stops then the whole production process stops too. So, I am happy with the fast response time, which is only 20 minutes from the dealer’s Embrach branch.”

Peace of mind with Hitachi Construction Machinery

It is also important for Steinbruch Mellikon AG to continue with the supply of Hitachi Genuine Parts and lubricants “to be on the safe side, for peace of mind”. The company’s Chief Mechanic receives the ConSite monthly report and shares it with André, who from the outset was interested in the idle time and fuel consumption. In the first six months, it was a useful tool to improve the production process, for example it now only operates in ECO mode.

Giuseppe Lavorato has worked at the company for 13 years, and he is the main operator of the ZX890LCR-7: “Even in ECO mode, the performance of the machine is impressive. I always work with this setting as the power for digging, grading and loading is the same – and fun to work with.

“The joysticks and seat can be adjusted separately, which makes my job very comfortable. And on-site safety speaks for itself with the excellent stability, and clear visibility from the mirrors on the right and left sides. I can also see everything around the machine from the bird’s-eye view camera.”

High-quality Jura limestone

Steinbruch Mellikon AG was founded in 1988 by four local entrepreneurs, and it is now owned by Umbricht Holding AG, Kalt Holding AG and Guido Kalt. The company has a licence to extract the high-quality Jura limestone from the Mellikon quarry until 2026. When this is renewed, it is hoped to extend the agreement for another 15-20 years at the picturesque site, which is situated close to the German border along the river Rhein.

The ZX890LCR-7 prepares and loads the blasted rock into one of the site’s two articulated dump trucks or rigid dump truck. Every year, between 400,000 and 500,000 tonnes of materials are processed in the site’s crushing and screening plant into various sizes of products for a wide range of applications.

The lime-based output is supplied to a local cement factory and concrete plant; the natural stone on display on the site’s show garden is popular with landscapers; there are four sizes of aggregates (from 0/8mm to 60/200mm) used on road construction projects; and there are more specialist building, general construction and civil engineering uses, depending on demand.