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Why a family business in Norway has a deep connection with Hitachi

News
26 Nov 2025
Norwegian contractor Kaasa Maskin AS based in Bø, Telemark, is celebrating 40 years in the construction industry – and almost 30 years of purchasing Hitachi excavators.

Back in 1996, the first orange machine purchased by company founder Gunnar Kaasa was a Fiat Hitachi 220LC-3, which was supplied by local dealer NASTA. In the past 15 years, most of the company’s new machines have come from the Hitachi stable.

A family business

Kaasa Maskin AS is a family business and Gunnar’s eldest son, Tor Håkon, has followed in his father's footsteps, becoming general manager about two-and-a-half years ago. The company employs around 20 people, several of whom have worked there for a long time.

There is also a focus on training apprentices, as Gunnar explains: “We have a placement scheme with students through a school in Lunde. We usually have two placement students – and then we also see who will be suitable as apprentices or not.”

A varied fleet

The company’s fleet includes a range of models and sizes, and each operator usually works with a dedicated machine. “We feel they take a little more ownership of the machines, and they are satisfied,” adds Tor.

“The feedback first and foremost is that there is little trouble with them.” Kaasa Maskin specialises in servicing municipal engineering projects, while other assignments include cabin construction, excavations for cabling, and road construction around Telemark.

"We have kept the company reasonably stable for the last 15 years and the size is just right – a great mix of people with different fields of expertise,” says Tor. “We have many good specialists here.”

An operator’s view

The company recently purchased a new machine, a Hitachi ZX225USRLC-7. This is operated by Olav Aaland, who has been putting it to work on a job in Lunde. "I'm very happy with the machine,” he says.

“With the short-tail swing, it doesn't take up that much space, while having both range and strength. And you don't need a support vehicle either, which is a big plus!”

Throughout his career, Olav has operated several different brands of machinery, but at Kaasa Maskin, it’s all about Hitachi. “I have used a ZX250 before, and it is very comfortable, and the noise level is also very low,” adds Olav. “I have driven many different brands before – but I have been very surprised by Hitachi!”

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