VIDEO: Hasson dishes the dirt on Hitachi

South Sydney based contracting business, Hasson Projects, specialises in civil construction works, excavation, earthmoving, demolition as well as providing wet plant hire.

When Hitachi released its mid-sized ZX-5 excavator range in August 2016, Hasson Projects was one of the first customers to get its hands on the new machines, more specifically the 49-tonne ZX490LCH-5.

The machine has since logged over 700 hours moving earth in the north-western suburbs of Sydney for a housing construction project.

According to operator Matthew Badans, who has driven the machine since it was purchased and delivered, the ZX490LCH-5 has provided plenty of power for a full day of work without guzzling too much fuel.

"It's giving plenty of power and yet, I barely ever had to switch the machine out of Eco mode," he says.

"Fuel consumption has come down a lot as a result, just with that feature, and good operator techniques."

He adds cabin comfort and ergonomic controls add to the appeal of the Hitachi ZX490LCH-5.

"All your controls are easy to reach and pretty simple to use, and everything's where you need it," Badan says.

"It's the little things too like air conditioning vents in your cup holder to keep your drink cold, that makes an operator's day a lot better in there.

"Aside from needing better lights which should come along down the track, it's a pretty good machine."

Hasson Projects director, Gerry Hasson, says the company chose Hitachi for various reasons including the power and fuel efficiency of its machines, but mainly because of its excellent aftersales service.

"In the past, after we purchase machines from Hitachi, there's always good follow up," he says.

"After sales service is very important to us, and whenever we make phone calls to Hitachi, we get the answers we need."

On its brand new Dash 5 range, Hitachi has installed a new and improved hydraulic system, wider cabins, and stronger boom structure and chassis.

"Its main feature is the HIOS IIIB hydraulic system which offers improved productivity and fuel economy, which gives us an edge over our competitors," says Hitachi mechanical engineer, Frank Lukacevic.

"We've also increased operator comfort in the cabin. Our cabin is more spacious, our controls are better laid out, and this is all for improving productivity. If the operator's more comfortable, he's working harder, he's working better, he's working more efficient."

The machine structure has also been strengthened to allow for work in tougher environments.

"Our strengthened boom and arm; and ROPS cabin allow us to take our machines into more rugged environments and enable us to work in higher duty applications where our competitors cannot," Lukacevic says.

He adds the Dash 5 machines have received phenomenal response since their release.

"We're sending plenty of machines out the door, the customers are commenting they’re really enjoying the improved fuel economy over our Dash 3 models," Lukacevic says.

"They’re saying the cabin is spacious, the controls are well laid out, they feel at home in the cabin and this is really improving our sales and turning customers back to us."