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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2017
24
SKID STEERS
T
he skid steer loader continues to be one of the most favoured pieces of equipment
on many local sites, if not across the world. One thing for sure is skid steer
loaders have moved well beyond their founding purpose, as today’s models are
more powerful, comfortable and versatile, and future models will continue to build
on these traits.
While all these features appeal to every fleet manager, it is very crucial to determine
whether the unit you are buying will meet your application’s needs to remain productive
SKIDDING TOWARDS
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY
To meet the changing needs of end users, skid steer loader designs have
evolved over the years but, one of the challenges facing buyers today is
selecting the right machine for the right job, owing to the array of options
available. OEMs size skid steers by rated operating capacity, but that’s
just the starting point of other key considerations. There are various other
deliberations, ranging from lift type to knowing attachments you will be using,
among others, writes
Munesu Shoko
.
and boost the bottom line. When one
knows that they have a job that needs
a skid steer, what should be the primary
consideration before they even start
shopping around for one?
Vijayakumuran Rengaraju, market devel-
opment engineer at Caterpillar, tells
Capi-
tal Equipment News
that the jobsite and
the tasks that need to be carried out, to
a large extent, inform the buying decision.
“It is worthwhile to consider the appli-
cations the machine will be used for, the
work tools that will be needed and then
decide on the size class and configura-
tion, as well as, of course, value and build
quality,” says Rengaraju, adding that first-
class product support also helps maximise
uptime and productivity, and this should be
an important factor in any buying decision.
Jan Stansfield, sales manager at
Bobcat South Africa, reasons that when
When one identifies the need to
have a skid steer loader on site, an
important primary consideration
would be to consider what the
primary function of the loader is.