Heros Sluiskil BV invest in new Hitachi machinery
Latest fleet of excavators and wheel loaders used to help produce secondary aggregates
A NEW fleet of Hitachi wheel loaders and excavators is providing essential support at Heros Sluiskil BV’s recycling facility in Holland, where valuable raw materials from incinerated domestic and industrial waste are extracted for reuse.
A loyal Hitachi customer since 2011, Heros have recently taken delivery of ten new machines – nine ZW-6 wheel loaders and a ZX350LC-6 excavator.
During its ‘urban mining’ process, the company extracts ferrous materials – such as iron and non-ferrous metals (eg aluminium, copper etc.) – from incinerated bottom ash. The remaining material forms the basis for the production of high-quality secondary aggregates, which can be used in road construction or concrete products.
On a challenging 45-hectare site, the Hitachi machines are used to carry out a variety of tasks. The ZX350LC-6 excavator is used to open up the stockpiles of incinerated bottom ash, where it can be stored on site for three to six weeks. One of the ZW310-6 wheel loaders takes the material from the pile and transports it to the feeder of the separation and processing equipment.
A ZW250-6 machine works in another section, where scrap metal is separated, while the company’s largest wheel loader, a ZW370-6, is used to unload material from ships that dock in the adjacent canal. The smaller Hitachi ZW180-6 excavator works for 16h a day in the 2,700 sq m non-ferrous upgrading facility.
‘We chose the Hitachi ZW180-6 to work inside the plant, as it is easy to manoeuvre and able to reach the height of the feeder,’ said Peter David, head of machines and planning at Heros. ‘It’s also versatile for tidying the stockpiles, loading other machines and housekeeping duties.’
To ensure the highest level of support, the machines are provided with full maintenance and service contracts, and extended warranty from nearby Hitachi local dealers Pladdet (a sub-dealer of Hitachi Construction Machinery Nederland).
‘Reliability and local service are the most important factors for us,’ commented Mr David. ‘Such demanding conditions require a fleet of the most robust and durable equipment. It’s a very corrosive environment. The bottom ash can stick to machines like concrete or cement. In fact, the reliability of the Hitachi machines, combined with the maintenance programme, ensures we don’t incur any unexpected costs.’
