My
My name is Stan Vleugels and I am an operator for Zilverzand Exploitatie Beaujeau BV. The company was established in Heerlen in the south of The Netherlands in 1900 and it has always had a quarry here.
There are 15 employees involved in the process of washing, cleaning and then filtering sand into different grades. Among the products derived from white sand are grout, toothpaste, glass and ceramics.
HITACHI
We used to own machines from another manufacturer, but bought a Hitachi medium ZX250LC-3 excavator in 2006. Since then, a ZW220 wheel loader was delivered in September 2008 and I have been operating it ever since.
The ZW220 uses a weighing system so that we know how much sand we are loading on to trucks. It also has special tyres used for driving over sand in the quarry. The Hitachi sales team has an excellent working relationship with our company.
Experience
I can only describe the Hitachi ZW220 as perfect for tasks such as loading trucks and “feeding” the processing equipment. The features on this wheel loader are beneficial for our business and I am very happy with its overall operation and performance.
The ZW220 offers a high level of stability. I also like the smooth operation of the gears and how this machine helps me to get my work done efficiently. It is even capable of high travel speeds and manoeuvring quickly when fully loaded.
The most important benefits to me are the excellent driving position and extremely comfortable seat. This wheel loader handles well during general operation and the engine is very powerful – it’s almost as if it’s too fast for a race!
THE NETHERLANDS > ZW220 > QUARRYING