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Vågå-based Skogen has been engaged as a subcontractor by one of the project’s two main contractors, Aurstad, for a package of work on the 12km section between Vinstra and Sjoa.
The total project is worth NOK1.6bn (£122m) and it was the biggest contract in the country when it started in early 2014.
The ZX140W-5 was delivered directly to the site in April 2015 by Nasta – the authorised Hitachi construction machinery dealer in Norway.
After buying its first Hitachi machine, a ZX140W-3 wheeled excavator in 2011, Skogen’s line-up also includes two ZX135US-5 and two ZX210LC-5 medium excavators. “The current Hitachi model line-up is perfect for our immediate requirements, both in terms of capacity and flexibility,” said owner Ola Skogen.
The ZX140W-5’s operator Olav Kjaestad added: “The ZX140W-5 does everything well, from drainage work to levelling the ground, and from digging trenches to backfilling gravel.
“It’s a first-class machine, with a comfortable cab. I like the ergonomic control panel, the all-round visibility and the amount of legroom. However, the highlight of this new ZX140W-5 is the hydraulic system. It means that the machine is really responsive, and allows me to operate in a smooth and precise way.”
The challenge for Skogen – and the local construction industry – is to overcome the harsh weather conditions. It is common for temperatures to dip as low as -30°C in Vågå, and the average temperature is usually between -20°C and -25°C in winter.
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