Hello, I'm Pieter Staadegaard, director of Staad and, together with my brother Sijmen, owner of Staadegaard since 2013. With our own brand, STAAD, I can further express my passion for earthmoving machinery. This allows us to place the customer even more centrally and market electric machines that meet the needs of both Dutch and Scandinavian customers. A high-end machine with all the options that completely unburdens the operator. I'd be happy to tell you more about this.
Outlook: "2026 will be an exciting and rewarding year. Growth, innovation, collaboration, and sustainability are central to us at Staad. New projects are in the pipeline, and we will also be delivering our first two fully electric excavators, the emission-free STAAD 17W and STAAD 23LC, to customers starting in the second half of 2026." Managing Director Pieter Staadegaard is enthusiastic as he discusses the promising prospects.
Looking back: But first, a look back. According to Pieter, 2025 was a year full of highlights and learning moments. "A revolution has taken place in the field of excavators," he says. "In recent years, we've successfully focused on converting diesel-powered machines to electric ones, but in 2025, we took the step to develop and build our own fully electric machine." The result, the STAAD 17W wheeled excavator. It was unveiled in April at Bauma in Munich.
Pieter: "The STAAD 17W has been very well received. We focused on the needs of Dutch customers during its development. This means that many of the previous extras are now standard on the machine." He cites, for example, an automatic greasing system on both the upper and lower carriages, and a safety system that uses vibrations in the joysticks to indicate the presence of a person in the construction zone. Thanks to the low-profile battery, the operator has much better visibility.
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There were also learning moments. Charging batteries, for example, can sometimes be a challenge. Where do you do this, and how do you approach it? Staad found the solution in 'Energy as a Service'. "We provide a battery change on-site, so the customer can continue working with the machine with minimal interruption." The interchangeable Powerbox 500 was specially developed for the STAAD 23LC crawler excavator, allowing you to work for at least a full workday. This Powerbox has sufficient capacity, and moreover, only one needs to be purchased, which reduces costs.
"Our goal is to further expand our STAAD brand. This will allow us to offer our customers affordable high-end machines, ultimately bringing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) comparable to that of diesel machines," Pieter explains. What does the near future hold? In addition to the previously mentioned emission-free STAAD 17W and STAAD 23LC machines, the conversion of the electric 55-ton crawler excavator will also go into series production in the first quarter of 2026.
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Let's return to the STAAD 23LC crawler excavator, which will be produced starting in mid-2026. What makes this model so special? "These machines are often used in urban areas, where zero-emissions are becoming the standard and where you often have to turn in tight spaces. For example, when demolishing terraced houses or installing sewers. That's why we did everything we could to keep the model as compact as possible, with a small swing radius. Thanks to the replaceable batteries, you don't need a loading container in the city, which also saves space," says Pieter.
The STAAD 23LC crawler excavator is designed with the operator in mind. A heated and cooled, adjustable, air-suspended seat, a 360-degree camera system that allows the operator to see what's around them in real time, a large display, excellent all-round visibility, large mirrors, and plenty of work lights—it's all standard. "The operator's safety and comfort are paramount to us. With our machines, they can handle any job."
Pieter sees Staad's raison d'être in electric machinery. "In the Netherlands, we're the only company actively building its own electric excavators. There's also a lot of interest in our machines from Scandinavia. It's logical that our focus is primarily on the Netherlands and Scandinavia. But eventually, we hope to expand our reach to other parts of Europe with our electric machinery."
Although the purchase price of an electric machine is considerably higher than that of a diesel excavator, Pieter sees that the total costs will decrease in the coming years. "That's in the maintenance costs and in the electricity. If you generate those in a smart way, the differences in costs compared to a diesel machine will become increasingly smaller. But ultimately, the choice is yours."
Customer: Will they choose an emission-free high-end machine or stick with the old, trusted one? Staad is there to help customers make that choice and demonstrate the possibilities. We deliver what meets our customers' needs.
This article was published in Grondwerk magazine, Winter 2025 edition. Would you also like to receive this beautiful magazine? Click here.
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