A load-off: knowledge of individual business needs is a key step in determining which type of material handling equipment is the best fit.

While a little self-awareness goes a long way in the world of philosophy, it's also a big help when investing in equipment. Familiarity with one's individual business needs is one of the key ways to determine what kind of material handling equipment is the best match for a given construction

According to a number of product managers for several major equipment manufacturers, when choosing between two of the more popular material handling options--a wheel loader or a skid-steer loader--a potential owner has to take a long, hard look at his operation and dissect exactly what he wants the machine to do and how he wants it done.

You have to know yourself and what you're trying to do," say Dan Rafferty, product manager m charge of skid steers at JCB Inc., Pooler, Ga. Both wheel loaders and skid steers bring specific advantages to an operation, says Neil LeBlanc, product & marketing manager at Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill. "Comparing the size of wheel loaders vs. skid-steer loaders by product range and offerings, the wheel loader should provide much greater productivity," he says. "However, when size or weight of the machine is an issue, i.e., load bearing capacity of the floors that the machine will work on, the smaller, lighter weight skid-steer loader will be favored."

When weighing the pros and cons of wheel loaders and skid steers, a solid knowledge of a facility's individual needs is a good first step toward choosing between the two.

PICKING AND CHOOSING

Size of the material to be handled is one of the most important things to consider when choosing equipment, says Rafferty.

For heavy, bulky material, a wheel loader with its greater operating capacity might be more advantageous. "For large jobs where a lot of material needs to be moved, a skid steer would be too small," says Georg Seyrlehner, general manager of earth moving product management at Liebherr Construction Equipment Co., Newport News, Va.

Wheel loaders also tend to have better visibility, since the operator is seated higher up, says Doug Laufenberg, product marketing manager for compact wheel loaders at John Deere, Moline, Ill. This could come in handy if the machine is dumping material into a Dumpster or high-walled truck, adds Seyrlehner.