HDI Unleashes "The Beast"

Jan. 31, 2011

It’s been the talk of the high reach excavator market for months; but Heavy Decom International’s new machine is ready to go to work.

Based on an Hitachi EX1200 hydraulic excavator, the machine has undergone extensive modification at the Kocurek Excavator facility in Ipswich.   Those modifications include:

It’s been the talk of the high reach excavator market for months; but Heavy Decom International’s new machine is ready to go to work.

Based on an Hitachi EX1200 hydraulic excavator, the machine has undergone extensive modification at the Kocurek Excavator facility in Ipswich.   Those modifications include:

  • Converting the machine to run on biodegradable hydraulic oil
  • Hydraulically-removable counterweight and an elevating/tilting cab
  • Walkways and handrails to the two main booms and the topside of the machine for optimum operator safety.

These modifications have increased the machine’s operating weight from an original 132 tons to 220 tons.  

But it is the change of front-end equipment that has made the greatest difference to the machine. Heavy Decom International specified the unit with both a three-piece triple arm and a four-piece quad boom. These allow the machine to carry a 27-ton shear to a working height of 85 feet; and a smaller 13.7-ton Genesis GXP 1500R pulveriser to 108 feet. The machine can carry a 7.7-ton tool to its maximum 124-foot working height.

We are hoping to capture some exclusive video of the machine when it goes to work. But, in the meantime, these exclusive photos highlight the sheer scale of this mega-machine.

About the Author

Mark Anthony

Mark is editor of Demolition & Dismantling, the magazine of the UK’s National Federation of Demolition Contractors, and was recently appointed European Editor of the Swedish-based magazine, Professional Demolition International. Mark has been in construction journalism for 25 years, writing Contract Journal, Plant Managers Journal, International Construction, and Demolition Engineer.

Mark is the founder of the industry news aggregation website and blog, www.demolitionnews.com, and has been appointed webmaster for the National Federation of Demolition Contractors' website, www.demolition-nfdc.com.