DEC Opts for Hitachi Hybrid Excavators

DEME Environmental Contractors (DEC) – a subsidiary of DEME Group – has purchased a fleet of Hitachi hybrid excavators to work on its soil and sediment recycling centers in Belgium.

Two of the ZH210LC-5s are based on the banks of the River Scheldt at Zwijndrecht, near Antwerp, with a third machine drafted in when demand is high.

The Hitachi hybrid excavators play a vital role in the recycling process at the eight-hectare Flanders site, which recycles 80,000 tonnes of sludge per year.

Supplied by Belgian Hitachi construction machinery dealer Luyckx, the ZH210LC-5s turn the layers of sludge and then break up the materials as they are neatly piled in 1.5m-high rows to accelerate the drying process through oxidation.

“The order for the five Hitachi hybrid excavators fits within the measures that DEME is taking to achieve its intended improvement in efficiency,” says Dirk Ponnet, DEC’s General Manager for the Flanders region. “We will always prioritize sustainable techniques and solutions. The use of energy-efficient equipment is therefore entirely in line with our business philosophy.”

DEC has been a long-term user of Hitachi construction machinery and the 20-tonne machines in particular. “Our other Zaxis excavators have always been extremely reliable,” adds Dirk.

According to Dirk, after only one month of work, the new Hitachi hybrid excavators are already 30% more fuel-efficient than the previous models.