My

My name is André Villiger and I operate a Hitachi ZX470LCH-3 at a quarry in Monthey, south-west Switzerland. I have 22 years of experience and work for Location Machines Chantiers (LMC), a family-run company established 45 years ago.

LMC employs up to 80 people and specialises in quarrying, road construction, transport and industrial construction work. The business also has a rental division – its machines are only available for hire with experienced operators.

HITACHI

LMC bought its first Hitachi machine, an EX400, in 1990 and it is still in operation today. Since then, it has acquired several Hitachi excavators, including five EX models, and a ZX225USLC-3, ZX250LCN-3 and ZX350LC-3.

LMC values the prompt and helpful after-sales service it receives from official Hitachi distributor Probst Maveg. The local branch in Crissier is nearby, which helps it to respond immediately in the unlikely event of a breakdown.

Experience

The main benefits of this excavator for this type of work are its stability, power and lifting capacity. The ground is made up of layers of loose rock and small stones, so the machine’s stability makes me feel secure while I am working in such a tough environment. The spacious cab is also comfortable – I like all the different aspects of it, such as the seat, easy-to-use controls and rear-view camera.

The ZX470LCH-3 is a gem of a machine. It is two years old, has 2,500 hours on the clock and I have never had any problems. It is as reliable as a Swiss clock!