HYTORC at Hillhead 2026: Cutting Bolting Time on the Quarry Face

What Was Hillhead 2026 — and Why Did HYTORC Exhibit?

Hillhead 2026 took place from 23–25 June at Tarmac's Hillhead Quarry near Buxton, Derbyshire, the UK's largest and one of the world's biggest working quarrying, construction, and recycling exhibitions. Held once every two years in a live working quarry, the 2026 edition proved to be a record-breaking one, with a record 627 exhibitors and the busiest opening day in the show's history. There were more than 9,000 visitors through the gates on day one alone. For HYTORC United Kingdom and Ireland, Hillhead is one of the most important events in the calendar.

Over three days, the team delivered countless live demonstrations from Stand RD27 in the Registration Pavilion, engaging with visitors from quarrying, aggregates, construction, and recycling operations across the UK and further afield.

Three Days, Countless Conversations

Warm, sunny conditions across the show brought strong footfall to the quarry face and Stand RD27 saw a steady stream of visitors throughout, reflecting the record numbers reported across the wider show. The team spoke with hundreds of industry stakeholders over the three days, delivering live demonstrations of the LITHIUM SERIES II, LION GUN, the HYTORC TRUE-LOCK Reaction Washer System, and the Connect App bolting software, while gathering first-hand insight into the bolting and joint maintenance challenges currently facing the quarrying and construction sector. Alongside the tools themselves, three HYTORC accessories - the Offset Link, the Track Pad Fixture, and the Self Indexing Wheel Bolting Reaction Fixture - drew particularly strong interest from visitors looking for practical, purpose-built solutions to everyday maintenance tasks.

The team also tried to keep things comfortable for visitors dealing with the summer sun, handing out caps, sunscreen, and sunglasses from the stand, which people said they appreciated.

What Did HYTORC Demonstrate at the 2026 Hillhead Show?

At Hillhead 2026, HYTORC demonstrated the LITHIUM SERIES II and LION GUN electric torque tools, the TRUE-LOCK Reaction Washer, the Connect App bolting software, and three specialized accessories: the Offset Link, Track Pad Fixture, and Self Indexing Wheel Bolting Reaction Fixture.

LITHIUM SERIES II: Cordless Battery-Powered Precision Torque for Heavy Plants

The LITHIUM SERIES II 36V battery-operated electric torque tool covers a torque range of 34 Nm to 10,845 Nm (25 to 8,000 ft.-lbs.). Housed in a nickel-plated aluminum body, the tool operates in two modes, Rundown and Torque, allowing operators to snug fasteners quickly before applying precise, repeatable final torque.

• The Problem: Bolted joints on crusher liners, conveyor structures, and heavy mobile plant are exposed to constant vibration and load, while traditional tools pose HAVS (hand-arm vibration syndrome) risks.
• The Solution: A portable, trigger-time-limit-free electric torque tool with full Bluetooth data capture via the HYTORC Connect App.
• The Benefit: Operators can safely and accurately document torque on critical joints without HAVS exposure, increasing site efficiency and compliance.

LION GUN: Compact Power for Fleet and Field Maintenance

The LION GUN is HYTORC's 18V battery-operated electric torque tool, delivering up to 949 Nm (700 ft.-lbs.) in a lightweight, compact package.

• The Problem: Fast-paced fleet and field maintenance tasks require mobility without sacrificing accuracy.
• The Solution: A highly portable electric tool offering zero HAVS exposure and built-in data capture through the Connect App.
• The Benefit: Streamlines maintenance on quarry sites by bringing safe, documented power directly to the equipment.

HYTORC TRUE-LOCK Reaction Washer: Removing the Reaction Arm from the Equation

Independently verified against the industry-standard Junker Test and compliant with DIN 25201-4, the TRUE-LOCK Reaction Washer offers a smarter fastening component.

• The Problem: Conventional reaction arms create hand entrapment and pinch point risks, while dynamic loading causes standard joints to loosen.
• The Solution: A specialized washer that eliminates the need for a reaction arm and adds essential anti-loosening properties.
• The Benefit: Improves both speed and safety on site by securing bolted joints under heavy vibration without changing the surrounding equipment.

HYTORC Connect App: Turning Bolting Into an Easily Documented Process

The Connect App works seamlessly with all HYTORC battery-powered torque tools.

• The Problem: Quarrying and construction operations struggle with manual logging for maintenance records, compliance, and asset traceability.
• The Solution: Software that captures torque data automatically at the point of tightening.
• The Benefit: Saves time and ensures reliable compliance documentation without relying on error-prone manual entry.

Accessories That Stole the Show: Offset Link, Track Pad Fixture, and Self Indexing Wheel Bolting Reaction Fixture

Getting the right accessory paired with the right tool provides immense day-to-day value for quarry operators.

• Offset Link: Compatible with hydraulic, pneumatic, and battery-operated tools, this low-clearance adapter extends a standard tool's reach into obstructed or protruding-stud locations. Benefit: Avoids the need for specialist tools for hard-to-access fasteners.
• Track Pad Fixture: Purpose-built for the time-consuming job of maintaining excavators, crawlers, and other tracked equipment. Benefit: Highly popular for torque guns, it drastically speeds up track pad maintenance.
• Self Indexing Wheel Bolting Reaction Fixture: Best paired with the LITHIUM SERIES II and LION GUN using HYTORC's dedicated wheel rig. Benefit: Allows wheel bolting to be carried out faster, safer, and with far less manual effort across fleets of haul trucks and heavy vehicles.

Why does the Hillhead Show Matter for the Quarrying and Construction Sector?

Bolted joints sit at the center of almost every piece of equipment on a quarry site: crusher liners, conveyor frameworks, screening decks, mobile plant, and haul truck wheels all depend on consistent, correctly applied torque to stay safe and operational. Downtime on a working quarry face is expensive, and under- or over-torqued joints are a common, preventable cause of unplanned failures.

What did the HYTORC Team Enjoy Most About the Show?

Getting to talk to the people who use our products. Exhibiting at Hillhead 2026 let HYTORC employees chat with the people who deal with these challenges daily. The conversations we had with them reinforced a consistent theme: quarrying and construction operators are looking for bolting solutions, and the right accessories to go with them, that are portable, fast, safe to use, and able to prove that the job was done correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What products did HYTORC demonstrate at Hillhead 2026?

HYTORC demonstrated the LITHIUM SERIES II electric torque tool, the LION GUN electric torque tool, the TRUE-LOCK Reaction Washer, and the HYTORC Connect App bolting software, alongside three accessories: the Offset Link, the Track Pad Fixture, and the Self Indexing Wheel Bolting Reaction Fixture.

Where was the HYTORC stand at Hillhead 2026?

HYTORC exhibited at Stand RD27 in the Registration Pavilion.

Is HYTORC suitable for quarrying and heavy plant applications?

Yes. HYTORC's hydraulic, electric, and pneumatic torque tools, fasteners, accessories, and digital bolting software are proven across quarrying, aggregates, and heavy plant applications, from crusher liner and conveyor bolting to track pad maintenance and fleet wheel bolting.

How can I find out more or request a torque tool or accessory demonstration?

Contact HYTORC United Kingdom & Ireland at sales@hytorc.co.uk or call 01670 363 800. Our UK HQ is based at Unit 25 Moorland Way, Nelson Park, Cramlington, NE23 1WE.

See HYTORC in Action

Hillhead 2026 may be over for another two years, but the demonstrations don't stop when the quarry gates close. Whether you want to see the LITHIUM SERIES II, LION GUN, TRUE-LOCK Reaction Washer, Connect App, or accessories like the Offset Link, Track Pad Fixture, or Self Indexing Wheel Bolting Reaction Fixture in action at your own site, or discuss a specific bolting challenge, our UK & Ireland team is ready to help.

Request a product demonstration → www.hytorc.com/uk/contact

Explore the full product range → www.hytorc.com/uk

HYTORC United Kingdom & Ireland | Unit 25 Moorland Way, Nelson Park, Cramlington NE23 1WE | 01670 363 800 | sales@hytorc.co.uk

About Hillhead: The World's Largest Working Quarry Show

What is Hillhead?

Hillhead is the UK's largest and one of the world's biggest working quarrying, construction, and recycling exhibitions, held every two years at Tarmac's Hillhead Quarry near Buxton, Derbyshire. According to the official Hillhead 2026 Review, the 2026 edition was a record-breaking show, welcoming 627 exhibitors and 25,878 visits from 18,395 unique trade visitors, subject to independent ABC audit, across four live demonstration areas.