Lüscher Gartenbau takes delivery of first YANMAR V7-HW wheel loader

Fan of Japanese technology

Lüscher Gartenbau-Baumschulen AG is based to the west of Zurich. Founded in 1956 as a "one-man business", today the company realizes all aspects of garden and landscape design: from small single-family home gardens to parks. The appropriate construction machinery for the work comes from Yanmar Compact Equipment (YANMAR): "I am a big fan of Japanese technology and Yanmar engines - they are known for their durability and performance," says Managing Director Hanspeter Lüscher, explaining his choice.

Inspired by Japanese garden art

After completing his training, he went to Tokyo for a year at the end of the 90s to immerse himself in the millennia-old Japanese art of gardening: "The Japanese see beauty in the used, the imperfect and in the simplicity of architecture. At the same time, they are extremely progressive when it comes to technology. That inspired me."

Family tradition with special expertise

With its 70 employees, Lüscher is one of the largest family-run horticultural companies in Switzerland. Above all, the combination of horticulture and tree nursery sets Lüscher apart. More than 4,000 different plant species from the company's own breeding are grown here. "The Swiss attach great importance to beautiful gardens," says Hanspeter Lüscher, "I always like to incorporate natural elements from Japanese garden art such as stones, water, plants, wood and sand, which create a harmonious, balanced landscape, into my work here."

The fascination for Japanese culture sparkles in Hanspeter Lüscher's eyes. Not even three years go by without him traveling to the land of the rising sun at least once. Inspired anew by each trip, he brings a piece of Japanese culture back home to Switzerland.

V7HW - an absolute one-off

Lüscher's team is mainly active in the Zurich region. The currently most extensive and best-known project that Lüscher is continuously overseeing is the Lewa Savannah - a 5.6-hectare enclosure at Zurich Zoo, which is home to rhinos, giraffes and zebras, among others. In addition to skilled manpower, the right machines are needed to keep it in optimum condition. Hanspeter Lüscher relies on the wheel loaders from Japanese manufacturer Yanmar: "The new V7HW wheel loader is particularly popular with our employees - an absolutely unique machine whose combination of easy handling, intelligent safety features paired with operator comfort, high payload and outstanding performance is unparalleled worldwide.

Generation change

"Basically, I was happy with my old machines," recalls Hanspeter Lüscher, "but the engines were no longer up to the job. Initially, I wanted to replace them with Yanmar engines. While some of the machines were in the workshop, RUBAG, my trusted dealer for more than 20 years, provided me with the new V7HW wheel loader from Yanmar. And then it "clicked" - what a generation leap!

Two V7-HWs please

What my drivers like best is the perfect all-round visibility of the driver's cab, which is particularly useful on narrow terrain. In addition, the V7HW hardly swings out at the rear and its shear point is significantly lower, which makes it more stable. This results in less damage and fewer accidents. And the low height is simply ideal for transportation. So I abandoned my initial plan and ordered two new Yanmar V7HW wheel loaders directly from RUBAG," says Lüscher about his spontaneous purchase decision.

Future plans

The third wheel loader is already being planned - it is to be the new, fully electric Yanmar V8e: a powerful combination of performance and sustainability, developed for the highest demands of modern construction environments: "Environmental protection is also a big issue in our industry. Digitalization, innovations such as e-mobility and more efficient engines are becoming increasingly important, and megatrends such as biodiversity in cities are shaping our business. We are prepared for this and need the best, most sustainable machines. Yanmar is the ideal choice for us here," says Lüscher with conviction.

The new V8e will be used at Lüscher's transshipment center in the future. And the two V7HW skid steer loaders are also proving to be real^{CO2 heroes}: "Every year, 600 new trees are planted with their help," says Lüscher proudly, "Together, they bind around 9.42 tons of^CO2 annually, which is roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of a Swiss two-person household."