The phrase” long reach excavator” was most likely first coined by Richard Melhuish (then Chairman of MHJ Ltd) who during the 1970’s operated the UK’s first hire fleet of these new and innovative long reach hydraulic excavators. Richard Melhuish’s first long reach excavator wast the Hymac 580 BT All Hydraulic 360 “Waterway” machine – so called because it was designed with along arm to allow it to work on Waterways. These early machines produced by Hymac and changed attitudes towards hydraulic excavators for the first time and positioned them as a serious alternative to the more traditional drag lines designs.