Tokyo/Bangalore: Toru Takatani, President of the Global Marketing Group at Hitachi Construction Machinery, has reaffirmed the company’s deep-rooted commitment to India while unveiling a global vision that places the country at the centre of its technological and manufacturing strategy.
Hitachi Construction Machinery, known worldwide for its hydraulic excavators, began its journey in India through a technological alliance with the Tata Group in 1984, bringing advanced Japanese welding and processing technologies to Indian soil. This collaboration matured into the now-iconic Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery, with manufacturing units in Kharagpur and Dharwad, and a national headquarters in Bangalore.
Highlighting India’s untapped potential, Takatani drew a stark comparison:
“Japan, with 120 million people, has an annual demand of 22,000 machines, while India, with 1.4 billion people, only demands 27,000 units. The gap shows massive potential for growth.“
One of the key innovations reshaping the industry is “ConSite”—short for Consolidated Solution for Construction Sites. This smart platform leverages GPS and sensor technology to remotely monitor machine health, oil levels, and damage reports in real time, accessible via PC or smartphone.
Takatani praised India’s digital readiness:
“The implementation of ConSite in India was smoother than in many countries. This is proof that India is truly an IT Kingdom.“
With over 40,000 Hitachi machines operational across India, the company’s impact spans major infrastructure projects nationwide. But India’s importance goes far beyond domestic needs.
Tata Hitachi’s Indian factories are now a major export hub, supplying machines to 15 countries across Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The company’s Research & Development Centre in India, with a team of 200 engineers, is also building solutions for global markets, including Japan.
President Takatani underlined a major strategic shift:
“We are no longer just ‘Making in India’—we are now committed to ‘Designing and Leading from India’.“
This transformation reaffirms India’s rising stature not just as a production base, but as an innovation and leadership engine within Hitachi’s global ecosystem.
From embracing India’s engineering talent and digital prowess to leveraging its global export potential, Hitachi Construction Machinery’s future is closely tied to India’s rise as a manufacturing and technology powerhouse.