Midlands ground works contractor MV Kelly has bought more than 3,000 Hitachi excavators over the past 25 years or so. The company currently has 543 Zaxis machines – ranging from the ZX33U-6 mini to the ZX300-6 medium excavator – working across 227 sites in central England.

One of its newest machines is the first Hitachi ZX130-7 excavator in Europe, which started work on a major house-building projects near Wallingford at the end of June. It is a medium sized machine, with an operating weight in the range of 13,300 kg to 15,700 kg.

Doug Curran is MV Kelly’s asset and fleet director, responsible for the purchase and disposal of the company’s machines. He says: “The Hitachi excavators are extremely reliable, working every day over the two-and-a-half to three years that we own them. In addition, we are very well looked after by the great people at Hitachi and our partnership is second to none. And finally, the residual value for Zaxis machines is excellent.”

He continues: “The Hitachi ZX130-6 is the perfect tool for the job that we do and so when Hitachi offered us the opportunity to buy the first ZX130-7, we were really pleased to add it to our fleet. The machine has been assigned to our experienced operator John Ritchie, who is very happy with the comfort in the cab, and the speed and performance of this latest model.”

John Ritchie has been a machine operator for more than 30 years, the last five of which he has been working with MV Kelly. During that time he has operated the ZX130-5 and ZX130-6, and so is well qualified to test the latest version, the  ZX130-7, to its full potential.

He uses the machine for digging foundations, drainage, grading and all other works to get each house plot up to floor level, and says: “Hitachi has always made excellent excavators. They are fast, smooth and reliable – and the ZX130-7 is no exception.”

Hitachi has redesigned the Zaxis-7 cab and it meets with this operator’s approval.

In the press release put out by Hitachi, they quote John Ritchie as saying: “The working environment is ideal with all the room I need to do my job. The quality of the cab is first-class, with less vibration and noise than the previous generation, and more storage for my phone, lunch bag and drinks. I also feel the difference in comfort with the adjustable arm rests, and the combined movement of the seat and console is excellent. The controls and switches are easily accessible, and the levers are comfortable with the added convenience of the buttons for simple operations.”

Now those precise words might not sound like the real voice of any machine operator that has actually walked the planet, but we get what Hitachi is saying here. The operator really likes it.

John Ritchie also apparently actually said: “The large 8-inch screen is clear and easy to view, and the oil and water can be checked on the monitor rather than having to climb on top of machine. All of this makes my working day more effortless and enjoyable.”

He also likes that he doesn’t have to put AdBlue in the engine: “This saves me time, because I don’t have to refill the tank and there’s no longer any risk of contamination.”

And he has more to say, with his words once again seeming to have been polished by the Hitachi publicist. “The emphasis placed on my safety as a driver helps me to work more confidently and productively. The camera system gives me peace of mind with an exceptional view of what’s happening around the machine. The monitor is in a better position and it’s closer to my line of vision while operating.

“My view is also better when it’s raining, as the windscreen wiper has an increased sweeping area and it now covers the lower front window. The longer refuelling hose saves time and is more convenient. And finally, the pilot shutoff lever is easy to reach and safer, as it won’t activate if you accidentally touch a lever.”

He also has a view on the aesthetics. “Overall, I really like the look of the machine – the decals on the side and rear really set it off.”

In conclusion, the final words attributed to this operator are: “The biggest improvements between the ZX130-6 and ZX130-7 are the speed, power, cab comfort and all of the small details, such as the mute and wiper buttons on the joysticks. I have to say that this machine has been designed with the driver in mind.”