Yanmar CE EMEA’s team gathered at its production site in Crailsheim, Southern Germany, to complete its 16,000th wheeled excavator: a custom painted B110W, donning an exclusive 16k sticker to mark the special occasion.
Earlier this month, there was an air of elation in Yanmar CE EMEA (Yanmar CE)’s production facility in Crailsheim, Southern Germany, as the team proudly celebrated the rollout of its 16,000th wheeled excavator. The momentous event took place on the 4th of September, but not before some final touches were added to the custom-painted Navy Grey B110W unit.
The production team at Crailsheim gathered in a half-moon around the excavator, where Yanmar CE’s Kai Hacker stepped forward with a big smile to crown the B110W with a ‘Celebrating 16,000k excavators’ sticker. The unit’s exterior cabin is also adorned with an exclusive glossy geometrical print, which blends between grey to Yanmar’s classic ‘Premium Red’ – a striking colour combo that looks the part to spotlight the occasion.
“Our team is proud of every machine that is completed here in the factory. The fact that we can now count 16,000 shows that our production site is very efficient – despite the pandemic and the resulting supply bottlenecks, some of which continue to this day. The anniversary number allows us to look to the future with motivation. says Stefan Rückartt, Yanmar plant manager at the Crailsheim site.
Five decades of excavator innovation – and counting
Yanmar CE has been manufacturing wheeled excavators for over 50 years. Production started in Langenburg, was relocated to Crailsheim, Gerabronn, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and how gone back to its early roots in Crailsheim. Currently, three wheeled excavator models weighing between 7.5 and 11 tonnes are manufactured at the Crailsheim plant: the B75W, the B95W and the B110W anniversary excavator; with the latter being the heavier-weight champion of the trio.
“For me, the wheeled excavator is a very interesting and very comprehensive piece of equipment. I want to pass on my knowledge and skills so that such high-quality machines can be produced in the future,” says Jürgen Boschet, who is responsible for quality and production at the Crailsheim plant and has been employed by Yanmar for 33 years.
Yanmar CE wants to build on this success and is continuously working to further improve production – in terms of manufacturing principles, operator workplace ergonomics and implementation of the latest legal requirements. The company also prides itself on the philosophy of the wider Yanmar Group, which includes respecting people and communities.
“It is a great milestone and a great experience to be involved in building 16,000 wheeled excavators. I am proud to contribute and be part of this success story,” says Matthias Leidenberger, Yanmar CE product manager for wheeled excavators in Crailsheim.
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