The Hako Citymaster: 20 years since the 90 was launched.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Citymaster 90’s launch. In 2003, the Citymaster 90 swept into the municipal market with its new hydraulic rear-axle steering.
It boasted a ‘considerably larger sweeping performance when compared to manually operated machines.’ It was also more economical than its predecessors and competitors due to its higher working speed combined with its larger sweeping width.
The 90 also afforded an extremely small turning circle – due to the new hydraulic rear-wheel steering configuration.
The 120 litre dirt hopper could be emptied via a hydraulic high dump directly into standard containers or rubbish bins, all carried out at the flick of a wrist. It also had a climbing ability of 20 per cent to ensure an excellent level of cleanliness even in underground car parks or multi-storey car parks.
This ride-on vacuum sweeper came with the option of an open-air seat for the operative or a canopy style cab for all-year-round usage. Modern and ergonomically optimised (at the time), it guaranteed fatigue-free working.
Operatives were only required to have a Class L driving licence. The Citymaster 90 didn’t qualify for an MoT equivalent test and wasn’t subject to any motor vehicle tax.
Which was great. At the time. But the needs of municipalities grew as did the list of cleaning tasks and the localities of the area.
This wasn’t a new problem for Hako’s research and development team. Since the very first Citymaster was unveiled in 1995, a walk-behind machine that was closely followed a year later by the 1750, there was a clear goal to create the most robust and efficient municipal cleaning machines on the market.
The Citymaster 90 was the perfect fit between the two. Just two years later in 2005, there was a fleet of Citymasters in a range of sizes and Hako was a world leader with its complete product range for outdoor cleaning.
Fast forward to 2023. The Citymaster range has massively evolved even though it still has only four models. Proof that each machine has been highly tuned to deliver the highest level of performance and efficiency.
The Citymaster 650, the smallest of the litter, is perfect for retail parks, university and college campuses. It’s on another level compared to the 90 with all its technological advancements.
The 1650 now also comes as an all-electric version as well as with a traditional combustion engine. This only increases its appeal to environmentally conscious councils as they look to tackle rising emissions in their regions.
The largest of the fleet, the 2250 is the most versatile machine on the market with its multi-function offering. So much more than a road sweeper, it can be adapted to operate as a snow plough and gritter in winter, while tackling grounds maintenance including weed ripping the rest of the year.
Two decades later and the Citymaster continues to be the road sweeper to beat with more machines going to work in towns and cities across the world. It’s a clean sweep some might say…
For information on any of the Hako Machines range call 01788 825600 or email enquiries@hako.co.uk