Little giants: versatility and productivity have made mini-excavators and skid steers big...

In the construction and demolition recycling industry, bigger isn't always better. In fact, a growing number of contractors and recyclers are thinking smaller when it comes to choosing the equipment they need to get the job done.

"More and more operators are realizing that in certain situations,

the smaller machines are more productive and versatile than the larger," says Jim Hughes, brand marketing manager for Case Construction Equipment, Racine, Wis. "Crews are also being asked to work in tighter and tighter spaces than ever before, and the compact equipment makes that job a lot easier."

The rise of controlled demolition has demolition contractors seeking equipment that can squeeze into smaller spaces. In addition, the desire to cut costs--both in capital investment and labor--has contractors and C&D recyclers looking for smaller machines that can do more.

Compact (or mini) excavators and skid-steer loaders are two machines that are seeing a surge in popularity as these trends take hold in the industry. They may be small, but their size and versatility make them a big deal on the jobsite.

STEERING SMALLER

Anyone who is keeping an eye on the industry has been seeing a lot more skid steers zipping around demolition sites and C&D recycling yards in recent years. According to Lance Mathern, marketing manager for Bobcat Co., West Fargo, N.D., research done by Bobcat has shown that more than 50 percent of demolition contractors own a skid-steer loader.

Their compact size and versatility have given them an edge in many C&D-related markets previously dominated by larger material handling equipment like traditional wheel loaders.

"The obvious advantage of using a skid steer in demolition and C&D recycling applications are compactness in size and versatility," says Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager for skid steers for John Deere Worldwide Construction & Forestry, Moline, Ill. "A skid steer can be lifted up into place, fit into tight spaces and support a virtually endless supply of attachments to get the job done."

With scores of different attachments at its disposal, the skid steer can take care of practically any task on the jobsite--and the ability for one machine to tackle a number of jobs is one of the biggest advantages of the skid-steer loader.

"Because of their responsiveness and quickness with a scrap bucket or grapple, they have a distinct advantage over slower machines," says Jorge DeHoyos, brand marketing manager for New Holland Construction, Carol Stream, Ill.

The most common attachments fitted to skid steers in a demolition environment are hydraulic breakers for demolishing rock or concrete, scrap grapples for clamping and tear-down and heavy-duty buckets for material handling, says Zupancic.

But while those three attachments may be the most common, the skid steer is certainly not limited to them alone. "There's literally more than 100 different attachments you can fit to it," says Dan Rafferty, product manager for compact and utility equipment for JCB Inc., Pooler, Ga. "Anything that you can do, there's an attachment for it."

In addition to a hammer for breaking up concrete structures, skid steers can be fitted with hydraulic shears for cutting up steel and rebar, says Case Construction's Hughes. He adds that concrete claws for cleaner and more efficient removal of concrete from the jobsite, jib booms for carrying heavy objects and pallet forks for picking up lumber, cinder blocks or reclaimed brick are also part of the skid steer's arsenal of attachments. "And when you are all done on the jobsite, you can attach an angle broom or a pickup broom and clean up the mess," he says.

Skid-steer loaders have been "well known in the market for some time for their compact design and ability to get into small workspaces," says Kelly Moore, product manager for Mustang Manufacturing, Owatonna, Minn. According to Moore, the small size of the skid steer is advantageous in getting to and from a job as well. "It's smaller, so you can trailer it more readily behind a smaller truck," he says. "A customer can fit two skid steers on a truck or trailer where he might have only been able to fit one wheel loader."

Moore advises keeping the operator in mind when choosing a skid steer. "They're operating in confined areas, not only within the loader's operators compartment, but in the surrounding applications as well," he says of the operators. "Be aware of control options and ergonomics for operators when comparing loaders."

Moore says contractors should make sure the machines they choose are equipped for a demolition environment, including severe-duty, solid tires and special guarding packages to protect the loader and operator as required.

MINI MARKETS

In addition to an increasing number of skid steers taking care of the odds and ends in the C&D market, compact excavators are growing more popular, as well, lending their small size to the actual demolition process, in addition to material handling.

Like the skid-steer loaders, compact excavators can "access tight spots, like traveling through doorways or gates," says Bobcat's Mathern.

What sets a compact excavator apart from its bigger brothers is that it does not have an extended counterweight on the back--dramatically reducing its tail swing. "This helps the operator when 'swinging' the cab in a confined area and also reduces counterweight damage," says Kent R. Pellegrini, SSL/MTL industry manager for Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill.

With the emphasis in today's demolition industry on controlled demolition--or taking structures down piece-by-piece instead of by the more traditional wrecking ball--compact excavators are invaluable. They are small enough to do interior work and light enough to be hoisted up to roofs and higher floors to work on demolishing a building from the top town, says Bret Berghoefer, brand marketing manager at New Holland Construction.

Reduced tail swing allows these machines to work in confined spaces where it would be impossible to use a full-sized excavator, like between buildings, says Berghoefer.

Like the skid steer, the wide range of attachments available for use with a compact excavator adds to its versatility and value on demolition and C&D recycling jobsites.

Typical attachments used with the compact excavator are hydraulic breakers and hammers for actual demolition, thumbs and buckets and grapples for loading and unloading material, says Mark Wall, product marketing manager for excavators for John Deere.

Shears for cutting metal are also not uncommon, says Berghoefer.

Berghoefer adds that the arsenal of attachments available for use with compact excavators is constantly growing. "In the last five years, you've seen a lot more different types of attachments," he says, including more prolific use of grapples, material handling buckets and rotary cutters. Berghoefer says the increasing costs of machines are driving operators to learn how to use more attachments with one machine, upping its productivity.

"They're trying to figure out return on investment," he says. "Attachments allow them to get more uses out of one machine--more for your money."

But the compact excavator is not without limitations, according to even its most enthusiastic advocates. While increased maneuverability in tight areas, faster cycle times and lower operating costs give it the edge, compact machines are also limited by their size, says Mike Ross, national product and training manager at Takeuchi U.S., Buford, Ga. Compact excavators are also limited in the amount of material they can move at one time, Ross says.

The physical layout of the site or recycling operation may put compact equipment at a disadvantage, according to JCB's Rafferty. "You still have some of the huge demo sites and recycling yards that are just so big that no matter what, they need big equipment," he says.

It's up to each contractor and/or facility operator to assess the size and capacity of the jobsite to determine if compact equipment will be the most efficient.

"It comes down to capacity," says New Holland Construction's Berghoefer. "How much material are you looking at moving and which machine is going to fit you best?"

DRIVING FORCES

The forces driving the trend toward using more compact equipment are likely to remain in place.

Takeuchi's Ross points out higher fuel prices and lower maintenance costs on compact machines are among the factors influencing the trend toward smaller mobile equipment. According to many, these factors are unlikely to change in the near future.

Reducing labor costs by using versatile, multi-tasking compact machines is another force firmly in place, says Berghoefer. "You're always trying to reduce labor costs--if you can find labor in the first place," he says. "Where it used to be a guy with a sledgehammer, now I've got a piece of equipment worth two or three guys," Berghoefer adds.

Since every demolition and C&D recycling job has different demands, balance is the key when deciding whether or not to opt for compact equipment, says New Holland Construction's DeHoyos. "Today's recycler is faced with a critical decision point: compact or robust?" he says. "A compact piece of equipment will allow for more maneuverability, but robustness is typically the hallmark of larger equipment. Finding the right balance is important."

Thanks to the ability to go where larger machines can't and a constantly growing versatility because of a wealth of attachments, compact excavators and skid-steer loaders have earned vital places in many demolition and C&D recycling market segments.

"Today's skid steers and compact excavators are cheaper to transport, offer compactness, versatility and toughness to handle today's severe applications," says Zupancic of John Deere. "It is this value that makes compact equipment a popular choice."

The author is assistant editor of Construction & Demolition Recycling and can be contacted at jgubeno@gie.net.