Hitachi Final Drives

Hitachi Construction Machinery is a subdivision of the Hitachi Company of Japan. Hitachi was founded by an electrical engineer named Namihei Odaira in 1910. The business started out as a repair shop for electric motors but soon began manufacturing motors for use in the mining industry. Through the years, Hitachi has expanded into many different industries but in 1949, they manufactured their first power excavator and in 1965, the UH03 was developed. This was the first hydraulic excavator with exclusively Japanese technology. These hydraulic models were able to be more compact and were easier to operate than mechanical options, and they excelled in excavating capability and maintenance.

Eventually moving into the construction, mining, and forestry industries, their line of products includes utility excavators, compact excavators, wheeled excavators, mining excavators, shovels, foresters, and haul trucks. In 1998, Hitachi actually partnered with John Deere, and since 2002 much of their marketing in the United States has been handled by John Deere. Hitachi and John Deere often use common parts, support programs, etc.