SAS Besnier relies on versatility and reliability of Hitachi fleet

A long-established French construction company that has been working with Hitachi excavators for more than 35 years has expanded its fleet by investing in the latest range of Zaxis-7 excavators. Having recently taken delivery of two new ZX135W-7 wheeled excavators, SAS Besnier is also awaiting two ZX225USLC-7 short-tail swing models. The new arrivals will collectively add to the high level of versatility it offers to its customers in the west of France.

Founded by the present owner’s grandfather, the Le Grand-Celland-based rental company currently has a fleet of 52 Zaxis excavators – almost one for every year of its existence – ranging from two ZX17U-2 minis to a ZX490LCH-6 large excavator. As the third generation of the Besnier family to run the business, Managing Director Jean-Michel has bought a total of 61 Hitachi machines from local dealer Cobemat since the first ZX130W wheeled excavator in 2006. However, his father acquired the company’s first Hitachi, an EX150, in 1986 from the previous supplier of Hitachi construction machinery in the region.

Reliability is essential

“Hitachi meets our requirements with consistently high levels of quality and reliability,” says Jean-Michel. “From my point of view, our excavators must be reliable and up-to-date due to the nature of our business, specialising in the rental of machines and operators. The excellent availability of our fleet leads to customer satisfaction and ultimately profitability for all concerned.

“Hitachi technology is also impressive and has continued to evolve from the first EX series to the latest generation of Zaxis-7 models. They are very economical, which gives them a favourable cost of ownership and resale value – this is important as we keep each machine for up to ten years. We also take the views of our operators into consideration, and Hitachi is a popular choice with them due to the comfortable cab, and how easy and precise they are to work with.

“The Hitachi TRIAS and HIOS hydraulic systems are particularly impressive as they support our need for versatility with the number of different settings available for attachments and special applications. Hitachi and Cobemat provide us with better and more efficient solutions in this respect than the other manufacturers. The only reason we have to buy another brand is if Hitachi doesn’t supply that type or size of machine!”

Investing in innovations

Jean-Michel’s confidence in the Hitachi brand may be evidenced by his ongoing investment in the latest innovations, so that SAS Besnier can stand out from the crowd and give its customers 100% satisfaction. Among the recent examples are the: Hitachi ZH210LC-5 medium hybrid excavator; ZX135US-6 CTA fitted with a telescopic arm, ZX170W-6 PRR specially adapted by Cobemat for railway construction projects; and the KTEG KMC540S-6 high-reach demolition machine.

The nearest Cobemat branch at Rennes is only 20km away from SAS Besnier’s head office and Jean-Michel is complimentary of the “good service, excellent working relationship and highly skilled people” he associates with the dealer. In addition to the Hitachi Genuine Parts and ground engaging tools (GET) that SAS Besnier sources from Cobemat, Jean-Michel also finds the ConSite remote monitoring tool to be highly valuable. He mostly uses the monthly reports for the location, number of operating hours and service alerts for his Hitachi construction machinery.