BACKGROUND
This repair came to us through C3 Construction Ltd, a Leicester-based construction company operating a fleet of heavy plant across multiple active sites. C3 needed to restore one of their Hitachi ZAXIS 130 excavators following significant damage to the rear counterweight sustained during works on site.
For a construction operator running to programme across live projects, taking a machine off site for a workshop repair would mean weeks of lost productivity and additional cost to transport the excavator to and from a repair facility. Our mobile service allowed us to complete the full repair at C3’s site, keeping disruption to a minimum.
THE DAMAGE
The rear counterweight had sustained a series of impact strikes and heavy abrasion. Deep scrapes and gouges ran across the panel, with several areas rubbed back to bare metal. Sections of the paintwork had cracked and lifted, and the surface finish had been compromised across a wide area.
For a plant fleet where machines carry company branding across public-facing sites, the condition of the paintwork matters as much as the mechanical restoration.
OUR APPROACH
We attended C3’s site to carry out a full visual assessment of the damage, agree the scope of work, and plan the repair sequence to minimise time out of service. Everything needed to be handled in situ – preparation, filling, priming, colour matching and spraying – which meant careful set-up of the work area to protect adjacent parts of the machine and the surrounding site
THE REPAIR
Surface Preparation – The damaged areas were stripped back and sanded to a clean substrate. Loose paint, cracked coatings and surface contamination were fully removed to give a sound base for the repair.
Filler and Body Restoration – Deep gouges and impact marks were filled and flatted back to restore the original panel profile. This stage was worked over multiple applications to bring the surface to a true finish before priming.
Primer and Paint – Once the substrate was fully prepared, primer was applied across all repaired sections. The counterweight was then colour matched to the existing Hitachi orange and sprayed to a full factory-standard finish, with the surrounding panels blended to avoid any visible transition.
THE OUTCOME
The excavator was handed back to C3 Construction in full working condition, with a factory-standard finish across the repaired area, brand livery reinstated, and safety decals correctly positioned and legible. The machine returned to site with no need for transport off site, no workshop booking delays, and minimal disruption to C3’s programme.
SUMMARY
This case study reflects the kind of work we regularly carry out for construction and plant operators. When a machine sustains cosmetic and surface damage, the ability to prep, repair and refinish on site rather than in a workshop keeps the fleet earning and removes the logistical burden of moving heavy plant. For operators like C3 Construction, that combination of finish quality and reduced downtime is what makes mobile repair the right solution.
CLIENT FEEDBACK
When one of our excavators picked up significant damage to the rear counterweight, we needed a solution that got the machine back to standard without pulling it off site for weeks. Budget Mobile Bodyshop came to us in Leicester, assessed the damage and completed the full repair in situ. The finish is spot on and you’d never know it had been damaged. A brilliant job from start to finish and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.
Kyle Bolton, Asset Operations Manager, C3 Construction Ltd
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