Hitachi plays key role in Besnier’s pioneering spirit

To mark HCME’s 50th anniversary, we are celebrating the success of our dealer network and customer base through a series of insightful articles. In this latest instalment, Onsite meets SAS Besnier’s Managing Director Jean-Michel Besnier in Normandy, France…

Successful relationship

SAS Besnier has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Hitachi construction machinery, which dates back to the Eighties and the purchase of its first EX-series medium excavators. The current Managing Director, Jean-Michel Besnier, is the third generation of the family to run the business after his grandfather established the company in 1965.

Initially specialising in agriculture, the company evolved after Jean-Michel’s father took the reins in 1981 and gradually transformed into public works contracting. Besnier has always listened to its customers and developed construction activities in line with market requirements: “When my father took charge of Besnier, it was an agricultural company and he responded to the farmers’ needs for earthmoving and other different projects,” says Jean-Michel.

“We progressively diversified our services to include the rental of construction machinery to various national and regional companies. This in turn meant that we had to increase the size of our fleet of construction machinery to meet demand and the specific requirements of these customers.”

However, Jean-Michel’s first experience in the public works sector was when he left school to become a site manager for a large national construction company before joining his father. “My first memory of Hitachi machines goes back to the first model – an EX150 – that my father purchased back in 1986. An EX120 was added to the fleet and these models gave us the versatility we needed on job sites, and allowed us to increase our growing reputation in public works.”

Developing special applications

Now well established with 65 employees and an impressive headquarters at Le Grand-Celland in Normandy, SAS Besnier’s fleet is rented out with operators for use on a wide range of projects. The company is renowned for the specialist nature of its construction equipment among large contractors in the northwest of France.

With this reputation firmly intact, SAS Besnier has adapted its special application equipment to the challenges of such wide-ranging projects as rail, demolition and coastal defence: “We have adapted different machines, for instance with super long front attachments and wider tracks, to suit the marine sector,” explains Jean-Michel.

“A good example is the restoration of the habitat surrounding the famous landmark, Mont Saint Michel. That was an important and large-scale tidal works project for us, and the quality, reliability and versatility of our Hitachi machines played a huge part in its success.”

Respecting the environment

With the experience and success of the past half century behind SAS Besnier, it has the expertise to continue with a pioneering spirit. “We have installed 3D machine control systems into our excavators for precision work, such as levelling, which has become an important development for public works projects.

“The digital era has also allowed us to manage our fleet effectively via Hitachi’s ConSite remote monitoring reports and other services. I believe that Hitachi’s reliability extends to its advanced technology and it has always helped us to give our customers a high level of satisfaction. In addition, we have confidence in our local Hitachi dealer, Cobemat. It provides excellent after-sales service, and our relationship is friendly and trustworthy.

“I hope that together we will be able to develop and operate machines that will make noise a thing of the past on site – and respect the environment. In my opinion, the job site of the future would be a place where we could work without bothering those around us. To achieve this, I believe that electric machines will replace diesel machines in the future, and they will be easier to use and even safer for the operator.”