I understand that small excavators of Hitachi and Deere are actually Yanmar machines. How long does this go back and is it still in effect?
There is no relationship with Yanmar that I am aware of, other than perhaps using their engines. Deere has been connected with Hitachi and Airmen years ago on their mini excavators. Deere has recently entered into an agreement with Wacker Neuson on their mini ex's after there arrangement with Hitachi ended a couple years ago.
I’ve come across that info too—about some smaller Hitachi and Deere excavators being Yanmar underneath—and from what I’ve seen, it goes back at least a couple of decades. Yanmar has long been a trusted OEM for various brands, especially in the mini-excavator segment. It's a fairly common practice in the industry for manufacturers to collaborate like this, often to optimize production costs or reach new markets. Whether that’s still the case today likely depends on the specific model and year. When I was comparing machines for a recent project, I found it helpful to cross-check specs and history from reliable sources. This listing on https://www.truck1.eu/construction-machinery/mini-excavators/komatsu-pc-80-mr3-a3004811.html for a Komatsu PC 80 MR-3 gave me a good reference point. The platform itself is solid—especially for comparing different manufacturers in one place without pressure to buy directly.
Weird. Feels ai generated. Ksss is correct. Many excavator brands use yanmar engines, but they do not have a partnership on the rest of the machine.