Working Hero is the first Web TV series of its kind in the construction machinery industry. By telling us about key figures like Robby – their everyday events, their challenges and their successes - the Bauma Working Hero format focuses on the important role of people like Robby in our industry. Robby’s story is being told in a video profile that will be shown throughout Munich during the Bauma fair and creates a legacy for the industry to follow in the future.

"The decision to propose Robby as a Bauma Working Hero was an easy one. He is an extraordinary person who has been enthusiastically showing our customers around the world how to get the most out of their Bobcat machines for nearly four decades," says Jürgen Gremez, Training Director EMEA and his current manager at Bobcat who has personally known Robby for 22 years.

With more than four decades of experience on Bobcat machines and nearly 40 years of service at the company itself, Robby Bosch embodies the Bobcat spirit like no other - deployed worldwide, reliable, versatile, productive and always customer service-oriented. After his exceptional time with Bobcat, Robby will retire this year. The Working Hero film provides a great opportunity to look back on his career and four decades of development at Bobcat and you can watch it on YouTube.

A Moving Career that Inspires

Prior to joining Bobcat as a Field Sales Trainer in 1981, Robby already had six years of experience as a Service Manager with a Bobcat dealer in his native Netherlands. He was awarded his first Bobcat loader certificate in 1975 after a week-long training session on the Bobcat M371 and M611. Ever since then, Bobcat machines have always been a central part of his working life.

His move to Bobcat in 1981 marked the start of a career in which he first promoted Bobcat machines as a Field Sales Trainer in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Russia. "In my early years, two of us covered the entire market area. That's why we often spent several weeks on the road in quite adventurous conditions. The trips in the former USSR in particular were certainly something to remember," Robby recalls.

The second European Bobcat Roadshow took place in 1986. From that point onwards, Robby has been accompanying the roadshows and demonstrating a wide variety of machines and applications directly on site. A personal highlight for him was a roadshow in South Africa. His skills as a demonstrator have not gone unnoticed. In 2015, Robby received the Best Operator Award from Earthmovers Magazine for his demonstration of the Bobcat T450 compact loader at the Plantworx trade show in Leicester in the UK.

"In all my years operating at show grounds around the world, I had never heard of any award for the best demonstrator. I was delighted to be chosen for the award. However, as for my own performance, I’ve got an easy job as the machines I work with are the best," says Robby.

Man and Machine

During his long career at Bobcat, Robby has had an up close experience of every generation of every product over his time with the company. From purely mechanical, to hydrostatic, to electronically controlled vehicles. All of these developments and continuous modernizations have made working with the machines much easier for the operator. The handling, the ergonomic improvements as well as the increasing number of equipment options available allow operators to work longer and more intensively with the machines.

"In the past, it often happened that before a demonstration on a construction site we were first viewed with some scepticism. But as soon as the workers saw the amounts a Bobcat could move in 30 minutes, they were always really amazed," Robby says.

It is this very direct contact with customers in many different markets that Robby appreciates most, and which has defined his value to Bobcat. "I am regularly approached by customers at trade shows and events. In particular, customers from the agricultural industry often approach me and tell me that the same Bobcat machine has been in reliable use on their farm for over 40 years. That is of course very nice to hear," Robby explains. "But what moves me the most is when I am approached by customers who have taken over the family business. They often have childhood memories of me demonstrating a Bobcat on their parents' premises decades ago.”

The Show Will Go On

Robby will be working on his last roadshow this summer. But Bobcat will continue to play a big role in his life. He owns one of the most comprehensive private collections of construction machine models in the world. Mainly Bobcat models, of course. The collection comprises over 5000 unique items and is housed in a dedicated 80 square metre room at Robby's home. It is so unique and extensive that it is mentioned in the book "Bobcat: 50 Years" published in 2008. But this is not the only media attention Robby has gained with the collection. Several publications have already reported on it. "I will never get bored with collecting. I'm still missing a few pieces and I'm already looking forward to maintaining and expanding my collection," says Robby.

Robby's possessions do not just include models. In his spare time, he has already completely restored a 1964 Bobcat compact loader. "At the time, skid-steer loaders didn't have a cab. The driver was still wearing a helmet. We've come a long way, not just in terms of comfort," Robby comments. If it is up to him, it will not be the only real Bobcat he owns. "It would be a dream to some day have the opportunity to buy the millionth Bobcat skid steer loader if it ever becomes available," Robby laughs.

The LCO Awards are the industry’s only accolade of their kind, based on empirical data regarding the long-term cost of heavy and compact equipment. They are organised by EquipmentWatch, a world leader in data, software and insights for the heavy equipment industry. Nominees are recognised within 15 different categories of machine that exhibit the lowest cost of ownership over a five year span.

Total cost of ownership is one of the most important aspects that buyers take into account when they purchase equipment. The awards won by the T590 and S70 are a testament to the reputation for high performance, quality and reliability that the Bobcat range of compact loaders, mini-excavators, telehandlers and attachments has established over the last 60 years.

Commenting on Bobcat’s success in the LCO Awards, Jiri Karmazin, Loaders Product Manager Doosan Bobcat EMEA, said: “We are delighted to win these awards again. They demonstrate why even after more than 60 years, the Bobcat compact loader range continues to be the market leader, so that one in every two skid-steer loaders sold today is still a Bobcat machine. It is our commitment to outstanding quality, workmanship and innovation that has helped to maintain our market leadership.”

The Bobcat T590 and S70 Compact Loaders

The T590 compact track loader has an operating weight of 3548 kg, a rated operating capacity (ISO 14397-1) of 971 kg and a tipping load (ISO 14397-1) of 2774 kg. A particular aspect of Bobcat compact track loaders like the T590 is the excellent ground-hugging abilities and stability offered by the tracks for work in harsh, wet conditions and for utilities and road maintenance with Bobcat planer and wheel saw attachments.

The S70 is the smallest model in the Bobcat skid-steer loader range. With a width of 901 mm, a height of 1814 mm, an overall length with standard bucket of 2472 mm and an operating weight of only 1268 kg, the S70 skid-steer loader ticks all the boxes for compactness, transportability and manoeuvrability. With its small dimensions, the S70 model can access sites with narrow openings such as gates, alleys or aisles. The S70 is ideal for work in tight areas where larger machines cannot manoeuvre effectively.

The T590 and S70, like all Bobcat compact loaders, are equipped with the quick-change Bob-Tach attachment mounting system, allowing them to be combined quickly and safely with a very wide choice of Bobcat attachments, delivering versatility and time-saving efficiency across a huge range of different applications.