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Hitachi completes factory extension
The opening of a new extension to the Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) factory in Amsterdam will help the manufacturer to meet its targets over the next four years. HCME has taken a bold step in pursuit of its 2010 business strategy with demand increasing across Europe for its Zaxis range of excavators.
Factory extension B
HCME is aiming to increase production figures from 3,500 to 6,000 units per annum, reaching a maximum output of 23 units per day by 2010. The supply of sufficient quantities of the new Zaxis-3 excavators is critical if Hitachi dealers are to continue gaining an increasing share of each key European market.
The only option was for HCME to build a new 19,600m2 production plant alongside its existing facility as part of a ?20million investment programme in Amsterdam. The work began in December 2005 and the impressive eight-month project has been completed on schedule in August 2006. It is expected that the factory will be fully operational after installation and testing procedures have been finalised in early October.
The extension will house the component factory and the existing building will become the assembly floor. This will allow HCME to manage a simple production process from one section to another. To do this, the existing machine centre has moved to the new unit with further investment in an additional paint line, another machine centre -with better jigs- and washing/preparation area.
There has been detailed planning at every stage of the process. The emphasis has been placed on flexibility with the future in mind. A ring road has been built around the periphery of the whole site to enable the efficient delivery of components into the factory. A 400m2 sheltered passage allows the swift transfer of materials between the two units.
The factory
The new factory floor has been laid to the same specification as the original, which will cater for the movement of excavators if necessary. The central areas have been left as open as possible to allow for flexibility regarding future production requirements.
The paint line has been installed with European environmental regulations in mind. Hitachi is leading the way with water-based materials for the innovative, environmentally friendly new paint process. Productivity will also improve with increased lifting capacity for heavy components on the paint line.
HCME Manager of Production Engineering, Robin Huijsman, has been given overall responsibility for the implementation and management of the new-look factory. 'The overall objective of this project is to improve productivity,' he explains.'We must be ready to meet the targets set in our five-year business plan. That's why HCME is making this investment now.'
'The biggest challenge has been to implement change, while also keeping the existing production cycle on schedule. This has been managed by maintaining a direct link between the relocation procedure and the production plan. It is important to keep one step in front of the whole process and we have managed to achieve this. In fact, the transition from one system to another was much easier than expected.'
Author ; HCME
