The idea of an open standard gains ground across continents as the Open-S Alliance welcomes three new members

A&D Equipment (USA), Nishio Rent All (Japan) and Zijtveld Grijpers (Netherlands) join the Open-S Alliance, further strengthening the initiative to create an open industry standard for automatic couplers for excavators. With these new members from North America, Asia and Europe, it demonstrates that the idea of an open standard continues to gain ground globally, as more and more manufacturers are seeing the value of offering the customers products with a standardized interface. With the addition of these three companies the Open-S Alliance now has 20 members.

A&D Equipment
A&D Equipment, Inc., based in Guilford, CT, USA, serves the construction industry with high performance excavator attachments, tiltrotators and work tools. The company is committed to continually researching and testing the most advanced excavation and demolition attachments available on the market, and offers customers innovative products designed to enhance material recycling, excavator performance and operator efficiency. A&D Equipment joins the Open-S Alliance as a Supporting member.

“The Open-S manufacturer standard plays a crucial role in advancing global, progressive technology and empowers consumers to build a more versatile fleet tailored to their business needs. Joining the Open-S community presents an exciting opportunity for dealers and buyers alike”, says Donna J. LaFata, President, A&D Equipment Inc.

Nishio Rent All
The Open-S organization welcomes its first member from Japan, as Nishio Rent All joins. Nishio Rent All was established in 1959 and is a pioneer in the rental industry, serving the construction and event sectors. Today, it operates across Japan, Oceania, and Southeast Asia. Since the 1990s it has engaged in the rental of ICT-enabled (Information and Communication Technology) construction machinery to improve productivity and quality in the industry. The company also developed ICT systems, taking an advanced and comprehensive approach to supporting contractors. Nishio All Rent joins the Open-S Alliance as a Supporting member.

“In Japan, improving productivity in the construction industry is an urgent issue due to the declining working population and shortage of skilled technicians. As a solution, the Japanese government is promoting ICT and digital transformation (DX), and the use of tiltrotators is one such initiative. The key to maximizing the capabilities of tiltrotators is in the standardization of attachments. As a rental company, we are committed to promoting the Open-S standardization and contributing to the efficiency of the construction industry in Japan and around the world“, says Takashi Kitayama, Managing Director & General Manager of Nishio Rent All Co., Ltd.

Zijtveld Grijpers
Zijtveld Grijpers is a Dutch manufacturer offering a wide range of demolition and sorting grabs for excavators. Built on 30 years of expertise in sorting and demolition grabs, the company provides varied models tailored to construction, demolition, and recycling industries. Known for robust design and Dutch quality craftsmanship, Zijtveld Grijpers delivers durable, safe, and efficient solutions. Zijtveld Grijpers joins the Open-S Alliance as an Associate member.

“The idea that different brands can connect safely and reliably without endless custom solutions is something the industry has needed for years. We believe in giving customers freedom of choice, without compromising on quality or safety. By joining Open-S, Zijtveld Grijpers reinforces its commitment to openness, innovation, and making life easier for machine operators and builders”, says Marcel de Jong, Managing Director of Zijtveld Grijpers.

Open-S is an initiative created in 2020 by industry leaders Steelwrist and Rototilt, with the sole purpose of developing a global standard for automatic couplers. The objective is to give machine owners and contractors the freedom to combine couplers, tiltrotators and work tools for excavators from different manufacturers following the Open-S standard. With an open standard the utilization increases and profitability improves on all types of job sites, as work tools can be shared easily between different excavators. During the past year, the interest for joining the alliance has increased significantly, with members joining from all parts of the world.

“I am happy to welcome these companies as Open-S members, including our very first member in Japan. We pass an important milestone as the alliance now has 20 member companies from all over the world, all committed to building a standard for automatic couplers. I meet more and more manufacturers that see the value of offering customers products that enhance efficiency and safety on the jobsite without locking them into a proprietary solution”, says Stefan Stockhaus, Chairman of the Board of the Open-S Alliance.

For more information contact:

Stefan Stockhaus, Chairman of the Board of Open-S Alliance AB
stefan.stockhaus@opens.org, +46 70 998 13 21

Anders Jonsson, Board member of Open-S Alliance AB
anders.jonsson@opens.org, +46 70 590 09 49

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