Hitachi Construction Machinery (UK) Ltd.
Baker Groundworks rethinking the norm
In a fast-paced industry driven by deadlines and precision, it takes bold thinking to challenge the norm. Richard Baker, of Baker Groundworks and his small yet mighty construction team have carved out a reputation for productivity and quality, earning them a long list of repeat clients and major projects.
Roads and sewers form the backbone of Richard’s operations, alongside the critical early works that bring sites up to slab level. Historically, multiple 9-tonne site dumpers were used to ferry materials, but recent projects sparked a rethink.
“We noticed dumpers weren’t being fully utilised,” Richard explains. “On top of that, moving my excavator just to load them—and the cost of shifting a dumper-load of shingle—added up fast.”
Efficiency is everything in this line of work. The excavator, his bread-and-butter, often found itself tied up moving spoil, unloading pipes, and filling dumpers. With hired-in machines like 14t or 35t excavators from Synergy Hire supporting frontline development, any downtime was money lost.
That’s when Richard started thinking differently. He dove into the numbers, ran the scenarios, and after weeks of consideration, made the leap: investing in a Hitachi ZW180-7 Wheel Loader to phase out site dumpers.
“It wasn’t an easy decision. The industry’s done it this way forever,” he admits. “But when we laid out what a loader could do—helping us move quicker, cut costs, and maximise the value of our excavator—it all added up.”
His team had already been running a large Bobcat tracked skid steer, finding it an agile alternative to a telehandler with solid carrying capacity. But Richard was ready for more.
In collaboration with our sales rep Nick Woolliscroft, Richard settled on the Hitachi ZW180-7, a 15-tonne wheel loader with the strength and adaptability to meet his unique needs. Fitted with an Ulrich quick hitch, the machine now handles a variety of attachments, serving as a true multitasking asset onsite.
“Kev, our other operator, loves the Hitachi Richard said. “We needed something that wasn’t just reliable—but versatile. The ZW180-7 gives us exactly that.”
