Hitachi, Bell to Launch First Landcros Articulated Trucks for North America

A day after announcing its deal with Yanmar to produce compact track loaders in the U.S., Hitachi has revealed another agreement, this one with Bell Equipment for a new line of articulated dump trucks for North America.

The deal will initially start with three new ADTs branded Landcros, which will be Hitachi Construction Machinery’s new name starting April 1, 2027.  

The new trucks will range from 30 to 50 tons of payload capacity. The ZD30, ZD45 and ZD50 are set to launch in early summer and will be followed by models ranging from 20 to 60 tons, according to Hitachi.

The new ADTs will be sold through the Hitachi — soon to be Landcros — dealer network in the U.S. and Canada.

Bell, based in South Africa, has partnered with the Japanese manufacturer on ADTs in global markets. Hitachi sells rigid-frame dump trucks in the U.S. The new agreement will mark the company’s first branded articulated haulers for this continent.

“North America represents the world's largest market for articulated dump trucks, with an estimated annual demand of 5,000 to 6,000 units,” Hitachi says. “The addition of these new models positions Hitachi to compete in the equipment classes that account for approximately 90% of the North American ADT market.”

New Landcros ADTs by Bell

Bell offers six E-Series ADT models in North America, with its 41-metric-ton payload B45E as its top-seller, according to EDA. (EDA and Equipment World are owned by Fusable.)

The B45E runs on a 523-net-horsepower Mercedes-Benz off-highway diesel engine and a seven-speed Allison transmission.

Other top sellers for Bell:

• B30E — Payload of 28 metric tons, 329 horsepower.
• B50E — Payload of 44.5 metric tons, 577 horsepower.

Other models range from 18 to 55 metric tons of payload.

Hitachi says key features on the Landcros-branded trucks, which will get “ZD” in the model names (ZD30, ZD45 and ZD50), will include:

• “Class-leading engine output and torque performance.”
• Articulation joints of high-tensile steel and “widely spaced tapered roller bearings for added strength.”
• On-Board Weighing — shows the load in real time.
• Bin Tip Prevention — issues a warning on the monitor and automatically stops the bed from rising if the dump angle becomes too great.
• Geofencing — fleet managers can block entry into restricted areas, set speed limits by zone, mark dump-prohibited areas and use it to help prevent theft.
• 10-inch color monitor — shows vehicle function settings, operating status, safety warnings and troubleshooting information.
• Centralized, ground-level grease maintenance points.

Both companies see the agreement as a way to expand their presence in the North American ADT market.

“Bell’s reputation for quality, reliability and proven ADT engineering makes these machines an excellent addition to the Landcros lineup,” says Simon Wilson, Hitachi CMA chief operating officer. “Just as importantly, this expands the solutions our dealers can offer, helping them serve the needs of top-tier customers in their markets and strengthening their position as a full-line equipment partner.”

Adds Izak van Niekerk, CEO of Bell Equipment:

“As an ADT specialist our product development focuses highly on the end-user experience and this collaboration will allow for more dealers and contractors, in the highly competitive North American market, to benefit from the innovation, features and performance that we have worked hard to bring to market.”