Walters Group Purchase UK’s first ZX870LCR-5B at Hillhead 2014

Following our return to Hillhead after 9 years, Hitachi Construction Machinery UK have sold the UK’s first Hitachi ZX870LCR-5 to the Walters Group. Based in Hirwaun, South Wales, the Walters Group took immediate action to secure the machine after viewing it on the Hitachi stand.

Walters Group Chairman David Walters and Group Managing Director Huw Richards were visiting the show when they decided to take a look around the Hitachi ZX870LC-5BE, which was the largest excavator being exhibited and proved to very popular with visitors.

‘The Hitachi ZX870LC-5BE is an impressive piece of equipment and its excellent reputation for fuel economy, reliability and productivity were all factors that influenced our decision to make the purchase’, commented Huw Richards.  ‘In addition, we have operated large size Hitachi machinery in the past and have been impressed by the residual values and HCMUKs strong support network’.

The machine will be going to its first job at Heysham in Lancashire where it will be removing in the region of one million cubic metres of material for a new link road from the M6.  The project includes the remodelling of junction 34 along with a new bridge across the river Lune and is expected to be open to the public by the summer of 2016.

Mark Turnham HCMUKs Mines & Quarries Manager comments ‘I am delighted that the Walters Group have purchased the first machine of this type in the UK and am looking forward to it proving itself on its first project’.

The new ZX870LCR-5 incorporates the HIOS IIIB hydraulic system, which allows for faster operation with lower fuel consumption, and increased front speed. It has increased productivity by 6% in H/P mode (compared to the previous Zaxis model). Swing torque has also increased by 9% and the speed of light-load operations such as grading has improved, thanks to a larger volume of hydraulic flow.

The incorporated muffler filter reduces emissions by capturing air pollutants, with the auto shutdown and auto idler features enhancing fuel consumption while reducing noise, exhaust emissions and CO2.

The exclusive specification ‘R’ series offer enhanced durability with reinforced components and added protection to further strengthen the undercarriage and front attachment. Wear-resistant steel buckets have been designed specifically for the rigours of handling hard and abrasive materials.

Walters Group established in 1982 is one of the largest contractors in the UK, running over 500 units of major plant machinery, with the capacity to move over 30 million m3 of material a year. The company operates in plant hire, civil engineering, demolition and quarrying and mining throughout Great Britain, with an annual turnover in excess of £100 million.