Heavy Equipment & Machinery Show (HEMS) exhibitors have showcased the latest earthmoving machinery and technology on the Australian market in Brisbane.
The event, operated by Civil Contractors Federation Queensland, saw thousands of attendees enter the gates of Brisbane Showgrounds in May.
Having returned for its fourth biennial edition, HEMS 2025 saw more exhibitors and innovations than ever before.
Event manager Jasmine Collins said the event brought strong engagement and great energy across the board.
“The show delivered exactly what we hoped – strong leads, great networking and a platform for exhibitors to connect with prospective clients whilst entertaining existing ones. We’re excited to keep that momentum going into 2027,” she said.
Once again, HEMS partnered with the Brisbane Truck Show – which took place simultaneously at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre – to offer reciprocal ticketing to both events.
Highlights of the show included:
- CJD Equipment
The Australian distributor of Volvo Construction Equipment, CJD Equipment focused on the future of heavy machinery, showcasing its electric offering.
The Volvo CE L120 electric wheel loader made its Australian debut at HEMS, with CJD unveiling the 20-tonne machine as a sustainable option for worksites. Ideal for civil construction projects, the L120 features a 282kWh battery, enabling it to run for five to nine hours depending on the application.
With a top speed of 40km/h, the electric loader combines the performance of its diesel counterpart with zero exhaust emissions and near-silent operation.
CJD also showcased a smaller option in Volvo CE’s five-tonne L25 electric loader, which features a 1.2 cubic metre bucket as standard.
Volvo CE’s 2.6-tonne ECR25 compact electric excavator was another highlight of CJD’s booth, with the Australian distributor also displaying a range of Volvo CE’s traditional diesel machinery.
- Hastings Deering
Caterpillar dealer Hastings Deering had a variety of Cat equipment on display, but it was its demo of the Cat Line-Of-Sight (LOS) Command system which stole the show.
Using a Cat 325 excavator borrowed from Gold Coast-based PCA Ground Engineering, the Hastings Deering team demonstrated how the technology enables remote-control operation of machinery.
The Cat Command Console can operate the excavator from up to 400m away and provides all the same functions that would be available inside the cabin.
Hastings Deering says this technology ensures a safer working environment in hazardous conditions by removing the operator from the cabin.
Among Hastings Deering’s Cat showcase was a 255 compact track loader, a 315 track-mounted excavator, a 972 XE wheel loader and a 301.7 CR mini excavator.
- Tilly’s Crawler Parts
Tilly’s Crawler Parts displayed a selection of premium alternative earthmoving equipment parts from its extensive product range, including buckets, stick rakes and undercarriage parts, to name a few.
This year marks one year since the business was acquired by USCO ITR Group, which has seen Tilly’s also introduce ITR rubber tracks to its lineup, offering various compact tracked loader parts.
While parts are the bread and butter of the business, Tilly’s also continues to offer a range of quality, near-new earthmoving machinery, including late-model excavators, loaders, dozers and skid steers.
A 2022 5.6-tonne Caterpillar 907 compact wheel loader was on show showing only 11 hours and boasting a 55kW (73.8hp) engine.
- Hitachi
Visitors to Hitachi’s booth were treated to the new 35-tonne ZX345USLC-7 (ZX345-7) excavator, which the OEM says is designed to meet a growing need for ultra-short tail swing machines.
With an ultra-short tail swing radius of under 2.1 metres, the excavator is well-suited to civil construction projects where space is limited, including roadsides, urban construction sites and retaining wall installations.
It also fills a gap in Hitachi’s range of reduced-radius excavators in the Dash-7 series, which also includes the 15-tonne ZX135 and the 26-tonne ZX225. The new model is equipped with an Isuzu diesel engine that produces 197kW (264hp).
Another eye-catching machine was Hitachi’s 24–25-tonne class ZW310-7 wheel loader. Boasting 233kW (312.5hp), Hitachi says this loader is its most popular model, thanks in large part to its impressive bucket capacity of 3.4–4.5 cubic metres.
- Brisvegas Machinery
Perhaps the largest brand variety of equipment at HEMS came at Brisvegas Machinery’s exhibit, which saw Kobelco, New Holland Construction and ASV featured.
As the authorised dealer of these three brands, Brisvegas Machinery showcased a range of Kobelco’s well-known blue excavators, both large and small, New Holland’s C327 & C338 compact track loaders, plus the ASV Posi-Track RT-50.
The 3750kg (3.7-tonne) New Holland C327 is powered by a 74hp (55.2kW) engine, and includes an air-conditioned cab with joystick control, as well as a 4-in-1 bucket.
On the other hand, the 2427 (2.4-tonne) ASV RT-50 features a 50hp (37.3kW) engine, is only 1540mm wide and includes a 4-in-1 bucket.
