Ten years and counting

Dutch operator Daaf van der Vliet has worked with his Hitachi ZX250LC-5 excavator for 10 years. “It’s a high-quality machine, I’ve had no issues with it in 15,000 hours,” he says. “It is very stable and easy to control.”

Proven reliability

Dutch operator Daaf van der Vliet has worked with his Hitachi ZX250LC-5 excavator for 10 years. “It’s a high-quality machine, I’ve had no issues with it in 15,000 hours,” he says. “It is very stable and easy to control.”

On a recent project at s’Heerenhoek, near Borssele, he used the Zaxis-5 medium excavator for groundworks to prepare for the installation of a new line of electricity pylons. Employed by Kloosterman BV, Daaf has gained extensive experience working in Hitachi excavators, among others, since he started working in 1975.

“The biggest difference between now and then is comfort!” he says. “Also, you can change buckets much quicker and more easily. When I step in the cab in the morning and go home in the evening, I still feel relaxed. Before, you had to open all the windows and doors for air or to cool down. Now, there is no dust in the machines, you can use air conditioning.”

Despite his appreciation for the Zaxis-5 model, Daaf is due to receive a new Zaxis-7 model in the first quarter of 2023, which will be supplied by the authorised Hitachi sub-dealer in the region, Pladdet. “I’m very happy and looking forward to it!” he says.