Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe)
Brought up with Hitachi… Mark and Willem Luijten
Not only are we taking a look back at the company as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, but also at the people who have made Hitachi what it is today. True craftsmanship is passed down from generation to generation… This is also the case with Hitachi.
We spoke to the Luijten family, a father and son duo, who have shared their passion for Hitachi throughout the years.
Mark Luijten
When Mark was about 6 years old, he would accompany his father to Hitachi on Saturdays to help in the workshop or in the warehouse. After his ‘internship’ in 1988, Mark joined Hitachi permanently, first in the workshop and then in field service. After 9 years he was asked to join the international department; Connect Product Support. It was a small department at the time during the collaboration with Fiat, and Mark was responsible for cranes, mining machines, and mini excavators. In 2003, when the cooperation with Fiat ended, HCME opened the factory in Amsterdam. Mark then went to Amsterdam together with the product support department. 15 years later he became responsible for international After Sales, but he is now also involved in the development of new products around the machine, which can generate sales for Hitachi and its dealers.
As a little boy, Mark already liked that there was an enormous group feeling in the workplace. “You worked with a great team and you did it together,” he says proudly. Mark’s fondest memory was his first trip to Japan when he was only 22 years old. It was a special experience for such a young guest, he says. Because he was traveling so far away for the first time in combination with the cultural differences, this was an enormously unique experience.
Willem Luijten
Willem Luijten started at Hitachi in 1972 with 3 Dutch people and 1 Japanese person: together they set up HCME in Oosterhout. Before that he worked at Hovers, so he already had experience with the work. The first assignment for Willem was to provide service on behalf of Hitachi, which he also had experience in through his time as a service technician at Hovers. He drove to the machines in his own car to check and repair them. It was quite a challenge because they had to make drawings themselves for the construction of their piling rigs and machines. But each of the gentlemen Willem worked with had his expertise, and so together they prepared Japanese excavators for the Dutch market. In the beginning, the Dutch market did not have the full confidence in Japanese technology as it has now, until Hitachi came up with a complete machine and engine that delivered more productivity than they were used to.
Willem was ultimately responsible for the sale and service of the machines. He tells us that he loved being able to build such a large customer network and develop a personal relationship with the customer. He therefore found it very special to see that so many people came to speak to him when he said goodbye. He has also made many trips to Japan and, according to himself, has done a lot for Hitachi’s place within the European market.
“Quality always came first”
“Quality always came first” Willem tells us proudly, and he says there was nothing better than to help with the machines yourself. The machines arrived in Oosterhout in parts and when they were delivered on a Friday, Willem and his son Mark went to the workshop at the weekend to help with the preparation of the superstructure. People would then be surprised on Monday that a new machine was completely ready.
In 1993 Willem was able to retire after a lot of changes. He likes to keep in touch with Hitachi and the people who work there, and when he walks through the workshop many people come to have a chat with him. Willem looks back fondly on his time at Hitachi. He thinks it is great that he has been able to experience how it has become such a gigantic company after 50 years. When we asked him what the big difference with the past is within the workshop, he answers that the machines have become more electronic. Now everything has become more advanced, compared to the mechanic systems of before. “Hitachi has left a clear mark in terms of innovation.”
Why stop reading now? Others also liked:
Subscribe
Keep up to date with the latest news from Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME).
