Remote support reaps rewards

Throughout the global pandemic, Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe NV (HCME) has continued to provide a high level of support to its customers and dealer network. As an example, the HCME Product Support team successfully assisted local dealer, DEM Ghana, to assemble two EX1900-6 backhoe excavators despite being unable to travel to Damang Gold Mine in southwest Ghana.

Instead, the team performed this task remotely, relying on telephone conversations, video calls and a helmet-mounted camera worn by the support engineer on site. This enabled direct communication and a real-time view of what the engineer was seeing via the camera.

Technology and excellent cooperation

Vital checks ensured that valves, cables and hoses were properly mounted and configured to prevent damage that could occur during machine start-up. HCME Support Engineer Tom Verweij says: “This is the first time that we have had to work in this way. Thanks to the technology involved and the excellent cooperation between us and DEM Ghana, the machines were fully assembled within two to three weeks.”

DEM Group’s Mining Operations Sales Manager Cyril De La Guerre Ramsay adds: “We are proud to be a dealer of Hitachi, and part of their sales and support teams in West Africa. Together, we will keep on building exceptional relationships in the mining industry.”

The Damang Gold Mine now has a total of four EX1900-6 excavators working in the main pit, extracting overburden and ore.