New Product Q&A: The Inside Scoop on Bobcat Small Articulated Loaders

Summary

Introducing a machine with a light footprint for your heavy workload. Bobcat small articulated loaders are lightweight, powerful machines designed to knock out your projects quickly and efficiently with minimal ground disturbance. 

Bobcat Company is one of the first North American manufacturers to build small articulated loaders in the United States, so you might be wondering: Why this machine? Bobcat Product Manager Martin Miller answers your questions about this new entry into the Bobcat equipment lineup.

What inspired Bobcat to add small articulated loaders to its lineup?

We realized there are people completing projects well-suited for a smaller, yet still powerful, Bobcat machine. These customers can now shift from using a wheelbarrow to using a small articulated loader and knock out the same job twice as fast. The more research we did, the more we realized there is a great market for this type of product. We are currently offering two small articulated loader models to serve our customers’ needs.

How will the launch of small articulated loaders impact Bobcat customers?

Customers should expect a machine designed to increase the productivity of their smaller crews. When it comes to compact size and low ground disturbance, not many machines can match our small articulated loaders. Customers can tackle their projects with the power of a larger machine, but with the maneuverability and low ground disturbance they need to protect established surfaces.

Where do you see small articulated loaders being most useful?

Small articulated loaders are perfect for landscaping, tree care, tree removal, agribusiness, small fertilizer plants, snow removal tasks, municipal work and grounds maintenance projects. For example, small articulated loaders are capable of carrying small pallets of block or landscape materials to expedite landscaping projects. 

We designed the machine to be right under 6 feet, 6 inches, so it can easily navigate a regular-sized garage, a 7-foot door or a parking garage. Its smaller size is a huge plus, because it can work wherever you need it.

What has you excited about the launch of small articulated loaders?

The attachment potential is huge. As we are an industry leader in equipment attachments, versatility is important to Bobcat and to our customers. Small articulated loaders are designed with the familiar Bob-Tach attachment mounting system and are compatible with most of our existing mini track loader attachments as well as some of the attachments available for our smaller S70 and S450 skid-steer loaders. I look forward to seeing how customers take advantage of other useful features on the machine, including the tight steering, auto traction control and good all-around visibility.

How does this product tie into the company’s commitment to innovation?

We looked at the industry and saw a lot of opportunity for Bobcat, our dealers and our customers. We’re excited to continue pushing boundaries and trying new things because that’s when innovation happens. The introduction of Bobcat small articulated loaders allows us to serve a whole new customer base, and we’re excited to see the things people accomplish with these incredibly useful machines. 

Many of the comfort features our customers expect from our larger machines are incorporated into the small articulated loaders. For example, the steering wheel and joystick are simple to reach and intuitive to use. Switches and controls are strategically positioned for operator ease and efficiency. A heated cab enclosure and a heated seat provide additional operator comfort in winter, particularly when clearing snow. 

See how you can work within boundaries but beyond your limits with Bobcat small articulated loaders.