More compact equipment is being sold and rented, according to Chad O’Donnell, of Bierschbach Equipment in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “In mini excavators, we’re seeing more various manufacturers making them; it used to be a specialized manufacturer but, now, Mustang, Gehl and other companies make compact excavators too,” he said.

“We have a high demand for compact excavators, for various attachments to skid-steer loaders and for smaller compaction construction equipment. The compact excavators, for instance, are rented for the smaller, specialized jobs that contractors’ regular equipment can’t manage.”

More and more construction equipment manufacturers have introduced compact track loaders that handle a specific job on sites versus the skid steer which is an all around utility machine. ASV, Bobcat, Case, Caterpillar, Gehl, John Deere, Mustang, and New Holland produced similar compact track loaders based on customer demand.

O’Donnell says that when working in a confined space, they need smaller equipment. “Instead of having more manual labor, contractors are using machines. Labor is very difficult and expensive to hire and instead of having someone working with a shovel, contractors can use a compact excavator to do the work. This reduces time spent on the job, saves on labor and their employees are fresh to work on other projects.”

Source: Construction Bulletin