LIUGONG DELIVERS PROVEN APPLICATION SOLUTIONS AT HILLHEAD 2026

Three days of engaging conversations with hundreds of visitors, including a series of live demonstrations in a quarry environment, have made Hillhead 2026 an important milestone for leading construction equipment manufacturer, LiuGong Machinery.

Hillhead, held from 23 to 25 June, is the UK's leading exhibition for quarrying, construction, and recycling equipment. At the exhibition, LiuGong showcased a 12-machine line-up, including 10 new debuts, offering proven solutions for quarrying, demolition, infrastructure, earthmoving, compaction, and battery-electric applications.

Throughout the three-day event, the theme "Expert Insight. Proven On Site." shaped activities at the LiuGong stand. Visitors explored the expertise behind each machine on display and saw how product knowledge, customer support, and practical site experience could translate into measurable results for their daily operations across the UK and Ireland.

A Machine Line-Up Built Around Real Applications

Heavy equipment customers increasingly rely on proven performance, lower operating costs, and reduced environmental impact when making investment decisions.

At Hillhead, LiuGong demonstrated these benefits across multiple applications through a 12-machine line-up, including 10 UK debuts covering electric equipment, compact excavators, heavy-duty quarry machines, and demolition solutions.

Among these 10 debuts was the 925FCR, a 25-ton compact radius (short-tail) excavator, making its UK launch after being jointly developed by LiuGong's European and UK R&D teams for urban construction, road building, demolition, and infrastructure projects.

The machine was displayed in a distinct leopard print, receiving multiple accolades from visitors for its uniqueness and compact features.

LiuGong also introduced the 838TE, 848TE, and 8110TE electric wheel loaders at the exhibition, highlighting its growing portfolio of battery-electric machines engineered for zero-emission, heavy-duty applications in quarries, ports, and aggregate yards.

At the LiuGong demonstration area, visitors saw how the machines deliver full-shift performance with rapid DC charging in less than 70 minutes, supported by intelligent control systems designed to maximise productivity on site.

"The conversations we've had over the three days at Hillhead confirmed that customers want to see practical solutions for different applications they face every day,” said Harry Mellor, Sales Director of LiuGong UK and Ireland. “What we have achieved was to demonstrate the high performance our machines deliver first-hand and explain the years of expertise behind the development of each one.”

Celebrating 60 Years of Wheel Loader Expertise

From producing China's first wheel loader in 1966, LiuGong has grown from a single pioneer machine to a global powerhouse with more than 600,000 wheel loaders delivered worldwide and continuous investments in intelligent technologies and electrification.

To celebrate this achievement, LiuGong displayed a special edition 877T wheel loader featuring the company's new 60 Years of Wheel Loaders branding at Hillhead.

The 877T, which made its European debut earlier this year at SaMoTer in Italy, forms part of LiuGong's new T-Series wheel loader range which recently received the 2026 Red Dot Design Award.

The machine introduces several upgrades over the previous 877H generation, including enhanced automation, a pressurised and climate-controlled cab, and an advanced load-sensing hydraulic system paired with a powershift transmission.

Howard Dale, President of LiuGong Europe, said: "Sixty years of wheel loader expertise is more than a milestone for LiuGong. It represents generations of engineering experience that continue to shape the products we bring to customers today, from conventional machines to the next generation of electric solutions. The 877T is one of the key solutions developed through this expertise."

The 877T quickly became one of the standout machines on display at the LiuGong stand and was sold to a customer before the end of the first day of the exhibition.

Total Electric Solutions in Action

Over the past decade, electrification has grown into a key approach used by contractors across heavy-duty transport, mining, and construction industries to reduce carbon emissions and long-term maintenance costs on site.

LiuGong demonstrated this approach at Hillhead through its growing battery-electric portfolio on display. This includes the 838TE and 8110TE electric wheel loaders, 924FE electric excavator, DR50CE rigid mining truck, and 4280DE motor grader presented in a live quarry environment, with each machine making its UK debut.

This comprehensive electric machine line-up was operated in the quarry alongside interim charging solutions, including charging piles and mobile battery energy storage systems provided by Vital Power Group (VPG) and Dutch Energy Solutions (DENS).

Visitors had the opportunity to see how battery-electric equipment and supporting infrastructure work together as a complete site solution rather than as individual machines.

The demonstrations sparked discussions around charging strategies, operating costs, productivity, and how similar approaches could be adopted across quarrying, demolition, civil engineering, and other heavy-duty applications.

“We are working with our partners across the UK and Ireland, exploring different charging solutions, including mobile battery storage, that can keep battery-electric machines working effectively in our customers’ quarries,” said Dean Thornewell, Managing Director of LiuGong UK and Ireland.

“We have demonstrated the value of these partnerships at Hillhead; visitors are now making enquiries about replicating our total electric solutions across their sites.”

Expert Insight Delivered by LiuGong Experts on Site

Beyond the machines, Hillhead provided customers with direct access to the expert team developing and continuously improving the machine range from LiuGong.

LiuGong specialists from across Europe joined the UK and Ireland team throughout the event, creating an environment centred on discussion, demonstrations and practical advice.

Representatives from LiuGong dealer partners across the UK and Ireland, including Lloyd Ltd., Francis Buglers Ltd., FJS Plant Ltd., and Dragon Plant Sales Ltd., also attended the event, reinforcing the support network behind the brand's continued growth.

As a result, visitors explored application requirements with real experts and discussed how specific solutions could support their operations. Alongside on-stand discussions, the live demonstrations also allowed customers to better understand how technical features translate into real productivity gains.

“For LiuGong, Hillhead is about more than exhibiting machines. It's about building relationships, listening to customers, and demonstrating the strength of the support behind our machines. The turnout and feedback we received this year reinforce the momentum we continue to build across the UK and Ireland," said Dean Thornewell, Managing Director of LiuGong UK & Ireland.

A Proof-Led Presence at Hillhead 2026

Hillhead 2026 featured over 600 exhibitors, offering different solutions in real quarry and construction environment.

For LiuGong, the show was a platform to prove the value of its growing portfolio in real-world applications and show how clearly the brand understands the sectors it serves.

As the gates slowly closed on the third day of the exhibition, visitors to the LiuGong stand left with new insights and a more focused view of LiuGong, one built around sector expertise, real applications, and proven solutions, on site.