Ultra-Large Excavators Arrive in France
Two of Hitachi’s most impressive EX-7 large excavators in Europe are up and running in France. At a historic limestone quarry in the north-east, the EX1200-7 is transforming the cement production process. Further south, a 200-tonne EX2000-7 has made history as the first of its kind on the continent.
Ultra-Large Excavators in France
Transforming a Historic Quarry
The Eqiom cement quarry at Héming has been extracting limestone since 1892. Spread across 300 hectares, it produces 1.1 million tonnes of limestone annually to supply 800,000 tonnes of cement. Following extensive research with Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe (HCME), Eqiom selected the EX1200-7 as an ideal replacement for its 250-tonne machine.
The first model, an EX1200-6, arrived in March 2019. A second, the EX1200-7, joined the fleet in February 2025. Both machines, fitted with HCME-customised buckets, deliver up to 1,000 tonnes per hour, matching the output of the previous excavators but at a fraction of the fuel cost.
“We are achieving the same volumes as with our old excavators, but with much lower fuel consumption. This is a major economic and environmental benefit.”
Raphaël Amet, Quarry Manager, Eqiom
In six years, the EX1200-6 has accumulated 7,000 operating hours with near-perfect availability.
For Eqiom's 12 operators, the transition has been equally positive. Thanks to personalised HCME training, all adapted quickly to the new machines, benefiting from reduced vibration, lower noise levels and greater versatility.
“Hitachi machines are fast, smooth, and there is much less vibration. They were easy and pleasant to learn to use.”
– Laurent Guardo, Team Leader, Eqiom
A Machine Built For The Site
Last autumn, a customer in France took delivery of a machine that had never been seen on French soil before – the Hitachi EX2000-7. Assembled and commissioned on site by authorised dealer Teramat, the milestone delivery marked the culmination of more than 20 years of collaboration between the customer, Teramat and HCME.
The choice of machine was driven by the site’s specific conditions: excavation constraints of 0 to 13 metres at the working face, requiring the increased penetration force that the EX2000-7’s narrow 9 m³ Hitachi bucket delivers.
“This delivery represents much more than just a simple commissioning. The arrival of the first EX2000-7 of this type in Europe illustrates the mutual trust that unites us.”
– Pierre Mailland-Rosset, Managing Director, Teramat
For HCME, the focus now shifts to ensuring the machine delivers the availability and performance that the customer and Teramat expect, backed by the same level of technical support that has defined the relationship from the start.
“I was particularly impressed by the quality of the relationship between Teramat and its customer, as well as the professionalism shown throughout the project.”
– Satoshi Konno, VP Product Support, Parts & Mining, Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe)
