Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc. first released its new Hitachi branded wheel loaders in 2018. While the brand is new to the North American market, the loader itself is not. Previously branded Kawasaki, and most recently KCM, the Hitachi line of larger wheel loaders was launched early last year. Back in 2010, a joint venture was formed between Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hitachi Construction Machinery to further develop the global scope of the Kawasaki brand wheel loaders. This relationship combined the huge technological and manufacturing resources of Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hitachi Construction Machinery Group.
In 2016, Hitachi Construction Machinery bought 100 percent of KCM Corp’s stock, transitioning to KCMA Corp. Two years later, Hitachi COnstruction Machinery took the reins transitioning KCMA Corp to Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc. (HCMA), furthering its commitment to the North American market by introducing the Hitachi brand wheel loader line, offering parts availability, a factory component exchange program, customer and dealer training programs, ConSite, a premiere support program, and a wide range of programs and services.
HCMA completed the phase-out of Kawasaki and KCM-branded compact wheel loaders, and the new Hitachi wheel loaders are now being shipped throughout the North American market. The ZW50 and ZW80, introduced mid-year, feature efficient Kubota engines, responsive hydrostatic transmissions, limited slip differentials (ZW50), and a travel mode switch. The operator will appreciate a smooth, stable experience, easy-to-read monitor, excellent visibility, and the comfort of suspension seats.
On the larger end of the compact loaders spectrum, the ZW120-6 will be introduced in the third quarter of 2019. Sporting many of the features and benefits of its larger loader offerings, the HItachi ZW120-6 is a Tier 4 Final-certified, no DPF loader. Offering levels of performance with compromising efficiency, the new Hitachi loaders are proving to be reliable, durable, and productive, says the company. Hitachi also says its wheel loaders give you safe, easy operation so that even beginners can work like veteran operators. These user- and environmentally-friendly machines give you the productivity you need to get the job done. The company likes to note it is dedicated to excellence in manufacturing in order to provide a high-quality product at a competitive price, and it’s committed to supporting its dealers with qualified, well-trained personnel and state-of-the-art systems to add value to the end-user customer experience.

To read the full article featuring the ZW120-6 in Compact Equipment Magazine, click here.