[Job Story] Calabria Contractor Gruppo Fuoco Builds a Mostly Hitachi Fleet for Ionian Coast Projects

Gruppo Fuoco, a contractor based in Cariati (Calabria, Italy), is expanding its workload from aggregates production to coastal defence and marine works along the Ionian shoreline, relying increasingly on Hitachi excavators and wheel loaders supplied and supported by local dealer KMI.

From aggregates production to marine works and coastal defence, Gruppo Fuoco has built a broad contracting footprint along the Ionian coast. In recent years, that growth has been matched by a clear equipment strategy: the company has increasingly standardised on Hitachi machines, supported locally by dealer KMI.

The group traces its roots to 1967, when Leonardo Fuoco started an aggregates processing and earthmoving business in Cariati. Over time, and through successive generations of the family, the operation developed into a structured organisation active across multiple areas of the construction sector. Today Gruppo Fuoco includes Fuoco Costruzioni Srl, Calcestruzzi Cariatese snc dei F.lli Fuoco G.N.S., Salgana Touring Srl and Salgana Costruzioni Edili Srl, employing around 50 people across operations, technical roles and administration. With three sites between the provinces of Crotone and Cosenza, the company works across the Ionian corridor, combining quarry and earthmoving activities with ready-mix concrete production and the delivery of public and private projects, including marine and river works.1

The partnership with Hitachi began in 2018 and quickly strengthened.

“We began purchasing our first Hitachi machines in 2018. Right from the start we were very satisfied both with the Hitachi product and with the after-sales service. The ZX350 excavators are the ones that have given us the greatest satisfaction. The first ZX350 Series 6 worked up to around 7,000 hours without ever having any mechanical problem, with low fuel consumption and high performance.”

Says Natale Fuoco, director of the group’s companies, together with his brother Salvatore.

Over time, the fleet expanded to include excavators across multiple size classes and wheel loaders, culminating, over the past two years, in a full renewal with the new Series 7. Today, the group’s machine park is largely made up of Hitachi units, which account for around 90% of the fleet and include excavator models such as the ZX350, ZX300, ZX210, ZX240 and ZX135, as well as wheel loaders such as the ZW160, ZW180, ZW250 and ZW310.

From large-scale earthmoving for the construction of the Scala Coeli landfill to coastal defence works along the Ionian shoreline, and the day-to-day processing and production of aggregates at its own sites, Gruppo Fuoco uses the same Hitachi fleet in operating environments that are very different from one another. Compacted ground and particularly hard clay layers, handling rocky material, working close to water and marine operations all require different configurations, tools and operating methods, but they highlight a common factor: the machines’ versatility and the company’s ability to adapt them to the specific needs of each jobsite.

One of Gruppo Fuoco’s most demanding projects was the construction of a private landfill in Scala Coeli . Over roughly two years, the team handled more than 500,000 cubic metres of material in compact ground with extremely hard clay layers. Hitachi excavators including the ZX210, ZX240 and ZX350 were deployed across excavation, shaping and loading, with a ZX350-7 fitted with a ripper tooth to break the toughest strata. The site ran intensive cycles in dusty conditions and on steep gradients, where reliability and strong breakout force were key.

“We often work in very difficult ground. Being able to equip the machines with specific tools, like a ripper, helps us keep productivity up even in the toughest situations.”

Says Natale Fuoco

In 2025, Gruppo Fuoco deployed large Hitachi excavators on coastal defence jobs in Torretta di Crucoli (Crotone province), working from the shoreline and in shallow water to place heavy boulders and build rock armour. The company carried out similar works along the Ionian coast, including at Mirto Crosia, using ZX300 and ZX240 excavators alongside ZW180 and ZW250 wheel loaders to prepare the base, handle materials and position rock in challenging, wave-exposed conditions where stability, visibility and precise hydraulics mattered. The fleet was also used for dredging and excavation at Cariati Marina’s port, where a ZX350-7 was fitted with a 3.5 m boom extension, supplied with KMI support, to reach deeper areas while maintaining control. Away from the shoreline, the same Hitachi excavators and wheel loaders keep the group’s aggregates and ready-mix operations running, feeding the crusher, moving stockpiles and loading trucks on a daily basis.

KMI is positioned as a key partner for Gruppo Fuoco not only for machine supply, but also for service coverage, parts management and technical support on job-specific configurations and attachments. The dealer’s contribution is presented as a factor in keeping uptime high across a mixed workload that ranges from earthworks to coastal and marine jobs.

For Gruppo Fuoco, ongoing investment in technology remains part of the broader strategy, with upgrades to production facilities and the introduction of more modern earthmoving equipment aimed at improving output quality, raising productivity and reducing operating costs over time.

[Job Story] Calabria Contractor Gruppo Fuoco Builds a Mostly Hitachi Fleet for Ionian Coast Projects published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.