Volvo Construction Equipment’s ECR88D short swing radius compact excavator has been awarded an iF product design award.
The machine, which is designed for use in confined spaces, won first prize in the ‘transportation design and special vehicles’ category. Evaluation criteria included design quality, degree of innovation, environmental impact, functionality, and safety.
“We are extremely proud that the ECR88D has been awarded this globally recognised mark of outstanding design quality,” said Stina Nilimaa Wickström, design director at Volvo CE. “The ECR88D is one of the first excavators from the new Volvo design generation and represents a complete redesign of a Volvo machine.
The compact excavator features a narrow body, a centrally positioned boom, and a compact superstructure that allows its rear to swing with its track shoe. This design was chosen as it allows the unit to get extremely close to objects whilst mitigating the risk of a rear-end collision as the machine swings.
“This award is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of Volvo CE’s skilled employees, who continue to push the boundaries of technology and design,” commented Anders P Larsson, Volvo CE’s executive vice president for technology. “Volvo CE’s articulated haulers, wheel loaders and excavators have all won prestigious, global awards for their exceptional design and innovative engineering. This is a great honour and an excellent achievement which demonstrates that Volvo CE is at the forefront of technological development and industrial design.”
Volvo Trucks’ new FH model also received an iF product design award, making this a double success for Volvo Group. Volvo CE is now hoping that its compact excavator will achieve further success when the winners of the iF ‘gold awards’ are announced at the end of February in Munich, Germany.
“The machine exudes premium quality and is instantly recognisable as ‘a Volvo’,” added Wickström. “It is fantastic that the updated design identity has been recognised by one of the largest, most distinguished design competitions in the world.”
