Hitachi has announced that it is adopting a new initiative which will enable the ‘quick and easy’ verification of a machine’s emissions category.

From January 2020, every mini, medium and large excavator, wheeled loader and wheeled excavator from Hitachi Construction Machinery (UK) will be fitted with the CESAR Security System.

Powered by Datatag technologies, the security system can also be linked to the new CESAR Emissions Compliance Verification (ECV), which uses colour coded labels with a unique alpha/numeric code to enable the verification of a machines emissions category.

‘Our customers require a quick and easy way to identify which stage of the EU emission regulations their machines comply with, as more sites control and monitor their carbon footprint,’ said David Roberts, CEO of Hitachi Construction Machinery (UK).

‘The addition of the Emissions Compliance Verification or ECV to the CESAR program gives our machines a visible and traceable identity in regard to which emission stage they comply with.’

Mr Roberts added that CESAR is a proven theft deterrent and also provides ‘accurate and efficient’ proof of identity to the police when they need to trace stolen machines.

Andy Huddleston, superintendent of Northumbria Police, said that he was ‘delighted’ by Hitachi’s decision.

‘As the national police lead for agricultural machinery theft I am delighted that Hitachi CMUK, one of the industry’s leading companies, has chosen to security mark all their new machines sold in the UK,’ he said.

‘We know that by doing this the chance of recovering these high-value machines is higher and makes life harder for criminals. We hope that all manufacturers will adopt this approach.’

Rob Oliver, chief executive of the Construction Equipment Association (CEA), where the CESAR ECV was launched in June 2019, commented: ‘The Emissions Compliance Verification (ECV) application for CESAR is the single biggest development since the scheme was launched as an anti-theft device initiative in 2007.

‘Today there is an urgent demand for quick identification of the certified emission levels of machines and in developing ECV we have had some great input from the industry as well as HS2, the Energy Savings Trust and London boroughs.

‘The ECV’s easy to see and scan visual label reduces the workload for construction site managers and local authorities alike.’