Hosplant customer ECS strengthens site safety with Xwatch XW4 systems

Hosplant has supplied Energi Cable Services with new Kubota excavators, each fitted with the Xwatch XW4 system to support safe working across the full range of ECS operations, from installation and jointing through to testing and commissioning of high voltage cable systems, where height and slew control are essential.

Energi Cable Services (ECS), a specialist in high-voltage cable systems, has invested in Xwatch safety technology to enhance site safety across its fleet. Three Kubota excavators, supplied by Hosplant, have been equipped with the XW4 system – marking the start of a new partnership between ECS, Hosplant and Xwatch.

ECS delivers major onshore and offshore electrical infrastructure projects where working safely around overhead power lines and underground utilities is critical. The XW4 offers precise height and slew control, giving operators confidence and protecting both machines and people when working in restricted or high-risk environments.

The installations were carried out by Xwatch engineers Mike Nash and Ryan Andres, who fitted the XW4 to three different Kubota models: the compact U17-5, the versatile U27-4 and the larger KX80. The proportional hydraulic control built into the system ensures smooth operation without compromising safety.

Hosplant, Kubota’s appointed dealer since 2011 for construction equipment in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, and since 2019 for agricultural equipment in North Essex and Suffolk, supplied the Kubota machines to ECS for this project.

Kyle Tew, Area Sales Manager, Hosplant, said, “Matthew Cooch from ECS first contacted me to discuss his machine requirements, which were a height and slew restrictor system that was easy to use and could perform in the close-access situations our machines face.

Having seen Xwatch systems in action on many sites and rail applications, the decision was simple. From our first call, the team was responsive – quotations arrived the same day, the kit was in stock, and flexible fitting dates meant we could meet our tight deadline for getting the machine to the customer in preparation for their first job in Scotland joining an offshore cable.”

Jemma Dycer Hopkins, Sales and Operations Manager at Xwatch, said: “We are delighted to work with Hosplant in supporting their customer Energi Cable Services. Safety is at the heart of everything we do, and the decision to equip their Kubota machines with the XW4 shows a real commitment to protecting their teams and their projects. We look forward to supporting them in the future.”

The XW4 system monitors height and slew movements and automatically restricts machine parameters when limits are approached. For companies like ECS, working daily around high voltage cables, this safety layer reduces risk of strikes, downtime, and costly damage, while giving operators peace of mind.

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