Tokyo, July 16- Hitachi Construction Machinery (Head Office: Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President and Executive Officer: Masafumi Senzaki; “Hitachi Construction Machinery”) and Pronto (Head Office: San Francisco, California; CEO and Co-Founder: Anthony Levandowski; part of Atoms; “Pronto”) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a strategic partnership aimed at advancing open mine automation solutions.Through this partnership, the two companies aim to deliver automation solutions that provide customers with a broader range of options to address challenges such as improving mining operations and adapting to changing business environments.
Mining companies are increasingly seeking practical and scalable solutions that help improve productivity and safety while also addressing labor shortages. In particular, they are looking for open automation solutions that can be flexibly deployed according to the operating conditions of each mine, while making use of existing equipment and technologies from different manufacturers and avoiding excessive dependence on a single technology platform or vendor ecosystem. Hitachi Construction Machinery and Pronto share the view that meeting these expectations requires an open ecosystem that brings together expertise in mining operations, mining equipment, digital technologies, and automation technologies, enabling solutions to be flexibly adapted to the specific needs of each mine.
The partnership will combine the strengths of both companies. Hitachi Construction Machinery has long supported mining operations around the world through the provision of mining equipment and brings deep expertise in mining operations, together with a global customer base. Looking ahead to its planned transition to the LANDCROS brand in April 2027, Hitachi Construction Machinery is promoting co-creation by openly connecting products, technologies, and partners to deliver new value to customers.
Pronto is the global leader in OEM-agnostic Autonomous Haulage Systems (AHS). Its industry-first tiered AHS portfolio retrofits onto existing haul trucks from any manufacturer and scales from regional quarries to ultra-class, deep-pit operations. Pronto's systems have autonomously hauled millions of tons in commercial mixed-fleet operations, with production deployments spanning three continents. The company's mission is to make autonomous haulage practical, affordable, and available to every mining operation worldwide.
By combining their expertise in mining operations, mining equipment, and automation technologies, the two companies aim to create new value for mining customers.
Comment from Masafumi Senzaki, Hitachi Construction Machinery President and Executive Officer
For decades, we have worked alongside mining customers around the world and have developed a deep understanding of their diverse needs and the challenges they face.
Through our collaboration with Pronto, we will combine Hitachi Construction Machinery’s equipment expertise with advanced automation technologies to provide customers with greater flexibility and options in adopting automation solutions.
This partnership represents an important step in realizing the desire embodied in the “O” of LANDCROS—to openly co-create new businesses and value with customers and partners across the mining industry, and to grow together.
Comment from Anthony Levandowski, Pronto Chief Executive Officer
“Mine operators have been clear: they want automation that works with the fleets they already own, not another closed, single-vendor ecosystem," said Anthony Levandowski, Chief Executive Officer of Pronto. "Pronto has proven OEM-agnostic autonomous haulage at commercial scale, and Hitachi Construction Machinery brings decades of mining equipment leadership, a global customer base, and an open autonomy vision that we share. Together, we can give every mining operation a practical, affordable path to autonomy.
