[Video]: Hitachi rolls out the EX5600-7P backhoe with a 37.5 m³ bucket

Hitachi Construction Machinery has unveiled the EX5600-7P in backhoe configuration, a 558-tonne class ultra-large excavator that pushes bucket capacity to 37.5 m³ and claims a 12% jump in production versus the current EX5600-7. The release goes live today, October 20, 2025, with Australia singled out as a priority market.

At the heart of the package is a Cummins QSKTA50-CE rated at 1,193 kW at 1,800 rpm. Hitachi has also raised hydraulic pump power to trim cycle times, which, combined with the larger bucket, underpins the stated throughput gain. The company says fuel efficiency, measured as production per liter of diesel, improves by roughly 10% compared with the EX5600-7. On paper, the numbers are hard to ignore: standard backhoe operating weight 558,000 kg, heaped bucket 37.5 m³, maximum bucket digging force 1,480 kN, and maximum arm crowd 1,300 kN.

Durability is another big theme. Hitachi has broadened the use of high-strength steel castings in the boom, revised structures and welding on the arm and upper frame, and added bolt-closed access holes inside the boom to speed internal inspections. The goal is longer life between overhauls without adding service complexity. For mines that run around-the-clock in abrasive conditions, fewer teardown events and faster inspections translate into real availability.

The digital layer arrives via LANDCROS Connect Insight, a dealer-delivered service that retrieves and analyzes operational data in near real time. Beyond dashboards, Hitachi positions the tool for performance tuning, anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance support, building on its ConSite Mine experience. For fleet owners already swimming in data, the value here is targeted recommendations that lead to action rather than another graph.

Compared to its competitors

Where does the EX5600-7P sit against rivals. In the 550–600 t bracket, Komatsu’s PC5500-11 backhoe lists a 29 m³ bucket with operating weight commonly cited around 533–552 t depending on configuration, while Caterpillar’s 6060 backhoe publishes an operating weight near 600,500 kg and a 61-tonne rated payload for both shovel and backhoe variants. Hitachi’s move to a 37.5 m³ backhoe bucket is a clear attempt to widen the bite and compress passes on common 220–250 ton truck pairings, provided the material density fits the bucket spec. Prospective buyers will parse cycle time, fill factor, and payload match at site conditions, but the headline capacity gives Hitachi a strong spec sheet talking point in this class.

Technical data

A few technical angles are worth watching as the first units go to work. Expect operators to report on actual cycle time deltas against EX5600-7 fleets in similar dig conditions, not just theoretical pump power gains. Structural inspection intervals on the new boom and arm design will show whether the castings and revised welds meaningfully push out overhaul schedules. Fuel intensity per bank cubic meter in hard rock will test that quoted 10% efficiency improvement. And on the data side, the depth of integration between LANDCROS Connect Insight and existing mine systems will decide how quickly recommendations translate into changed maintenance windows and operator coaching.

Availability is global from today, with a particular focus on Australia. The message from Tokyo is straightforward: bigger bucket, faster cycles, tougher upperworks, and live data that can be turned into actions at the pit. Now the field results will decide how much of that 12% gain shows up on shift reports.

[Video]: Hitachi rolls out the EX5600-7P backhoe with a 37.5 m³ bucket published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.