Capital Equipment News April 2017

COMPACT LOADERS

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND ON COMPACT LOADING CHOICES Choosing between a compact wheel loader and a skid steer, whether for outright purchasing or renting, calls for an open mind. For African equipment users, the choice principally has always been driven by a mindset that says “this is what we use here”, and traditionally this has favoured the skid steer. But, what does a compact wheel loader have to offer? Munesu Shoko plods through the fundamentals.

W hen it comes to compact loading, the skid steer has always been the preferred solution, not only in Africa, but on a global scale. Available statistics show that the world demand for skid steers reached about 60 500 units in 2011, compared with 19 500 for compact wheel loaders during the same period. These figures show that the skid steer, at the time, was preferred on a 3:1 ratio over the compact wheel loader. While the skid steer is traditionally the most treasured compact loader, the compact wheel loader is challenging the status quo. Caterpillar is one of the OEMs offering a world class product line-up in both these product families, giving operators an unmatched range and choice to suit their individual needs. According to Jas Kundra, wheel loader product & application specialist at Caterpillar, compact wheel loaders are fast becoming a popular choice for some skid steer applications. “Given the fact that compact wheel loaders now come with a skid steer coupler, high flow options and attachment controls, don’t be surprised if you continue to see operators migrating across to an articulated loader as their machine of choice in order to get the job done.” Gehl is another OEM with a strong line- up of both skid steer loaders and compact wheel loaders. According to Gavin Leask, Gehl Product Manager at Manitou Southern Africa, the sentiment that compact wheel loaders are becoming more relevant in certain sectors such as landscaping has become more apparent since the company introduced its bigger AL750 articulated loader range in

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Caterpillar is one of the OEMs offering a world class product line up in both skid steer and compact wheel loader product families.

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