Equipped with the Bob-Tach mounting system that allows quick combination with more than 60 attachments, Bobcat’s compact loaders are proving a multi-purpose tool for many contractors.

Bobcat says its compact loaders are the perfect tools for road surfacing work, thanks to the quick-change Bob-Tach attachment mounting system which allows them to be combined quickly and safely with over 60 different families of Bobcat attachments.

Equipped with the attachments, these loaders deliver versatility and time-saving efficiency across a huge range of different applications, adds Bobcat, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Doosan Infracore.

For many road surfacing contractors, Bobcat compact loaders and attachments are an integral part of the fleet they use to carry out their contracts. With their ability to turn around in their own length and fast cycle times, Bobcat loaders offer contractors the manoeuvrability and flexibility they need in the sometimes tight spaces on site, working alongside bigger machines such as pavers and rollers on surfacing projects.

“Owing to their versatility, Bobcat loaders can be used in virtually every facet of a contractor’s business, from loading materials and cleaning up on sites to general handling work in their yards,” says a company spokesman. “These loaders and attachments are incredibly reliable and the perfect tools in terms of the access and productivity they offer on work sites and their ease of transportation.

“They are excellent multi-purpose vehicles for loading and placing materials whilst hand-laying macadams and – combined with powerful Bobcat brush attachments – they are also very efficient clean-up tools.”

The S450 ... used in clean-up operations.

He further adds: “Many road contractors are equipped to carry out all types of surfacing using asphalt and bitumen macadam. Projects covered include preparation, drainage and surfacing on roads, footpaths, repairing potholes, tennis courts and other sports surfaces, playgrounds, forecourts, driveways, car parks, caravan sites, estate roads, farm roads and silage bays, industrial/transport yards, warehousing storage facilities and ports and docksides, encompassing virtually any hard standing area that requires a durable surface.”

Tarmac maintenance and pothole/patch repairs are also part of the portfolio of many contractors. The versatility offered by Bobcat compact loaders allows contractors to use the same loader with other Bobcat attachments such as surface planers to carry out repair work. Together, Bobcat loaders and attachments form a high-performance road and pavement surface repair package, ideal for repairing not only potholes and surface cracks, but also for milling surfaces and for work around manholes.

Equipped with controls that allow for precise movements even in the tightest of spaces, Bobcat loaders ensure safe, efficient operation at all times in areas inaccessible to traditional machines.

“Road surfacing contractors are, therefore, finding Bobcat loaders to more productive than other types of equipment and complete more work in less time. Because of their compact size, they are also easier to fit on low loaders with other equipment for lower costs and ease of transport, the spokesman says.

The most popular compact loader in the Middle East is said to be the Bobcat S450 skid-steer loader model, which is an excellent tool for road contractors in the region. Building on the success of the S130 model it has replaced, the S450 combines the advantages offered by a truly compact loader with many of the advanced features and improvements found on the larger Bobcat new-generation models.

The S450 ... fitted with an auger.

“As well as its compactness, the S450 skid-steer loader can be supplied with a comprehensive choice of 48 different product families of approved Bobcat attachments (with more to come), offering solutions for a very wide range of applications and providing a perfect illustration of the Bobcat Tool Carrier concept common to all Bobcat compact loaders,” says the spokesman.

The S450 cab is based on that in the larger Bobcat loaders and has been cleverly designed to maintain the loader’s compact size whilst still providing the operator with better comfort and control. The internal area of the cab has been increased by 10 per cent compared to the S130 model, resulting in more space around the operator.

Moving the cab side windows to the outside of the cab has contributed to the increase in interior space and has also made them easier to clean. In addition, the threshold of the cab door has been lowered and the size of the cab door opening has been increased, making it easier for operators to enter and exit the cab. All-round visibility is increased by 30 per cent compared to the cab on the S130 model.

The 5-cm forward positioning of the cab offers the operator improved visibility of the working area and attachments. Forward visibility is further enhanced, thanks to a 45 per cent larger door and a lower front cross member. New front working lights contribute to improved forward visibility with a 50 per cent increase in output (total wattage).

The S450 model is a radius lift path loader, combining excellent manoeuvrability in tight areas with the reach and visibility needed for applications such as dumping materials over walls, backfilling or loading flatbed trucks. Powered by the Kubota V2203 diesel engine providing 48.8 hp (36.4 kW) of power at 2,800 rpm, the S450 model has a rated operating capacity of 608 kg (ISO 14397-1) and a tipping load of 1,215 kg (ISO 14397-1).