A stone's throw away, or rather a 'home party' this time, we interviewed Chris Meulenmeesters of Meulenmeesters Grondwerk, Sierbestrating, Aanneming en Verhuur . Chris is working on the Dubbelen business park in Veghel today, practically opposite our Staad business premises. He is working here with his brand new Develon mobile excavator. Chris has been the owner of Meulenmeesters from Venhorst in Brabant for eight years and we are very curious about his experience as the operator of this brand new excavator. During the interview, the sun is shining again, just like it did back then with the delivery message. We made eager use of that sun as you can see in the photos in the album at the bottom of this article.
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Chris has been working on the new Develon DX160W-7 mobile excavator since January 2025. Before that, he worked with a - then Doosan - DX140W mobile excavator, even without a stripe. This DX140 was traded in a few years ago for a 16-ton mobile excavator of another brand. That 16-tonner was traded in after three years, since last week, for another Doosan DX170W-5. Meulenmeesters has a diverse fleet of machines, including the new Develon, since a week the Doosan DX170W-5 and also a six-ton and a three-ton crawler excavator, two 1-ton mini excavators and a small wheel loader. Chris does not operate these machines alone; there is another employee working there in addition to him.
Can you tell us a bit more about your experiences with the new Develon DX160W-7 wheeled excavator in these first two months? “It runs well, is very strong and listens well. Furthermore, this machine is very economical in use,” says Chris. “Working with the joysticks is very smooth and I can do almost everything on the joysticks”.
We hang in there for a moment and ask Chris what he can't do with the joysticks. Chris answers: "Wheel steering, I can't steer with the joysticks. I didn't order that option at the time, but I'm considering getting it anyway if it's easy to arrange, for example during the first service. That makes it even more complete, but I'm also very satisfied with it now". Chris continues and says: "In the beginning there were a few minor technical issues, such as a hitch when stretching the arm. Staad quickly resolved this by installing a new hose rupture protection on the dipper stick. Since then the machine has been working to my complete satisfaction".
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What makes this machine so great? Chris answers: “Its wide range of applications. We can use it for various tasks, from earthworks and sewerage to demolition and breaking. The extensive bucket set, including pallet fork and quick-change system, makes the machine versatile”. He continues enthusiastically: “Another advantage is the stability. It has a somewhat longer undercarriage and that makes it really very stable, especially when lifting heavy loads.”
Chris knew what he wanted on this machine, which resulted in the GPS present, the removable engcon s60 tiltrotator and the 'balloon' tires. "I chose the color of the rim myself, from standard gray to dark gray, because that fits well with the dark undercarriage. That the cabin, just like in a car, can be opened and closed remotely using the key surprised me. When it is dark outside and you click the button - open - then the work lights come on, that is very nice".
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You said you liked the first DX140W mobile excavator, was this the reason for a new Develon? “The switch to this new one was partly motivated by the desire to be able to perform heavier and more versatile work. This machine is somewhat heavier and more stable, which means we can, for example, tackle larger pits and therefore also tackle heavier jobs. We mainly did private work, very nice and varied work, but larger projects in the construction and rental industry are increasingly presenting themselves and so I was looking for a strong all-rounder, with which we can also move more cubic meters and heavier work. One of your mechanics advised me to also take a look at Staad and this immediately felt good,” says Chris.
Chris is positive about the collaboration with Staad. "They always respond very quickly at Staad and solve it adequately. That is important, because downtime costs money. I also experience the service of other brands as good, but the fast switching and the proximity of Staad certainly give an advantage, I am there when needed. Promises are kept, also after delivery - that is very nice," says Chris.
The new Develon DX160W-7 mobile excavator proves to be a valuable addition to Chris Meulenmeesters' company. "This machine and the service from Staad meet our expectations and our company is ready for further growth and larger projects. The fact that we have requested a quote for the same machine again, that says enough, doesn't it?", Chris concludes.
More information about the Develon DX160W-7 mobile excavator can be found on the product page online. Here you will find specifications, images and the product brochure can be downloaded. If you have any questions or are interested in this or one of the other Develon earthmoving machines , or our Staad electric earthmoving machines, you can always contact one of the representatives, who are also visible on these product pages with contact details.
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