HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY

The cement factory with the highest output in Europe can be found 80 miles east of Istanbul and belongs to NUH Cement. In 2007 the company’s quarry in Hereke produced 4.3 million tonnes of limestone. After on-site processing with additives such as gypsum, iron oxide and coal, this resulted in a yield of five million tonnes of Portland cement.

Founded in 1966, NUH Cement’s mission statement is to “serve Turkey’s development programme with its production of cement”. Huge investments in facilities, systems and processes are helping it to achieve this aim, plus the company’s fleet of large excavators from Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME).

NUH Cement has purchased an EX1800, EX1200 and most recently an EX1900 to extract and load raw materials in the quarry. The EX1900 was bought to increase production and ensure that 1,500 tonnes of aggregates are delivered to the crusher every hour. NUH Cement is hoping to double production by 2011, which would require even more new machines in the next few years.

The company requires excavators that can cope with the demanding nature of the work and follows a stringent procurement process. HCME and Turkey’s official Hitachi distributor ENKA Pazarlama have succeeded in this process three times.

NUH Cement’s Technical General Manager Nurdogan Nas says, “On the first occasion, they recommended using excavators for production rather than wheel loaders. This proved to be a more cost-effective solution and we have retained this method ever since.

“Hitachi excavators provide the complete package and the brand’s image is the best in the Turkish construction industry. We also know that we can depend on the after-sales service from ENKA Pazarlama.”