The article discusses the rising popularity of wheeled excavators in North America due to factors like soaring trucking costs and congested job sites. These machines offer speed and efficiency, combining the capabilities of multiple machines in a compact footprint, making them a game-changer for various industries. Designed for safety and easy maintenance, wheeled excavators are proving to boost productivity and profitability for businesses willing to embrace innovation.
Photo courtesy of Mecalac
With a wheeled excavator’s speed, it’s possible to quickly drive to wherever your attachments are on the site, switch the bucket out for a set of forks, lift and load the pallet and switch back to continue digging all within minutes.
Sometimes, it seems as if just the passing of time results in change. Factors such as necessity for greater efficiency or more production drive changes in processes and industries. What once was seen as the ideal method or solution becomes old school as new and more productive methods take root.
Such is the case with compact wheeled excavators in the North American market.
Although they have been popular in Europe for quite some time, wheeled excavators enjoyed less popularity in North America because the open spaces and greater distances to travel favored larger equipment.
Today, however, the winds are shifting.
Skyrocketing trucking costs make hauling large pieces of equipment a less viable option. Many job sites are more congested than they were in the past and require a more compact equipment footprint, while at the same time, labor shortages are plaguing just about everyone and require urgent, creative solutions.
All of these factors have made the time right for North America to consider new ways of working and embrace advantages innovative new wheeled excavator designs offer.
A Fast Roll
One of the benefits of a compact excavator with wheels is its ability to travel — up to 25 mph for some advanced models — whether that is zipping across a job site, traveling from job site to job site or even driving to fuel up.
A contractor with a backhoe and CTL chooses between hauling the equipment or driving two separate machines, with the CTL only traveling up to 9 mph. If both pieces of equipment need to be transported at the same time to the next site, they are often loaded and hauled with a trailer rather than driving two machines at different speeds — even if the job site is a short distance away.
When every minute counts and these contractors are trying to maximize billable hours, the downtime resulting from loading and unloading machines or traveling to the nearest gas station quickly adds up.
Consider a 2-mi. trip to a gas station or between job sites. With a backhoe and CTL, operations must take the time to load each machine on a trailer, haul to the next site and unload the machines before they can begin operating again. With a wheeled excavator, this one machine has the capabilities to replace both the backhoe and CTL and can travel 2 mi. in just five minutes — saving time loading and hauling. That increase in speed quickly adds up in terms of job timelines, billable hours and overall efficiency. It also improves operator experience as it saves hassle either in loading and unloading machines or driving at slow speeds on potentially busy roads.
Get the (or any) Job Done
Speed is important, but some might raise the question: Can a wheeled excavator actually boost efficiency through power and performance on-site? Simply put, yes. On an average job site, you'll notice several pieces of idle equipment each day. In an ideal world, every machine would be running and earning money 100 percent of the time. However, that target is rarely realized as owner-operators with multiple machines on-site see 30-35 percent efficiency out of any one unit.
When operators can replace multiple machines with a wheeled excavator, though, the 100 percent efficiency goal becomes attainable — plus they don't have to do the heavy hauling of trailers full of large machines.
The key is finding a design that is truly multi-purpose without sacrificing performance. With a wheeled excavator's speed, it's possible to quickly drive to wherever your attachments are on the site, switch the bucket out for a set of forks, lift and load the pallet and switch back to continue digging all within minutes. Previously, this process might have taken up to three times longer or required another unit, such as a telescopic handler or rough terrain forklift, and another operator. Or, with a single operator, equipment then stands idle.
Then consider the benefits of a machine that has four-wheel steering, allowing an incredibly tight turn radius, paired with the power and range to lift 3 tons to 10 ft. up through a 360-degree rotation. This is a machine that can park in single space, if needed, and with its offset, three-part boom work outside the width of the machine in any direction, including below grade — all while maintaining perfect stability.
A single machine that offers power and speed in a compact footprint, along with the functionality of multiple machines while requiring only one operator is game changing for many industries, including construction, landscaping, forestry, municipal work and utility construction.
Photo courtesy of Mecalac
Designed for the Times
Safety is of utmost importance. With some wheeled excavators, prioritizing safety may mean sacrificing productivity. One that is designed to address both should have a low center of gravity that is placed directly in the center of the machine. This offers stability, even when driving the machine on slopes or down inclines.
Some designs feature the capability to carry loads safely in these situations and are designed in a way that even with the low center of gravity, the ground clearance remains high enough to maneuver over a variety of uneven terrain. Older, top-heavy designs, with higher centers of gravity and too much weight in the front, do not lend themselves as well to off road operations.
Another design feature to consider is operator accessibility to the cab and fuel tank. Wheeled excavators that allow operators to fill the tank without stepping on the tire of the machine, but rather standing on the ground, eliminate the risk of a preventable accident. Additionally, when operators can access the fuel tank, grease points and filters from the ground, regular maintenance can be performed quickly and safely.
Not Just a Fairytale
Wheeled excavators may have taken some time to become popular in North America, but the performance is noteworthy.
Consider the example of a contractor who does work for utility companies putting in underground piping and electrical wiring. He leveraged the advantages of a compact wheeled excavator and outperformed competitors that still used backhoes, allowing him to earn bids away from them even though he charged more.
Stories such as this are increasingly common across North America. Operations willing to consider the many benefits that new compact equipment options such as wheeled excavators offer are reaping the rewards. As time and conditions change, those willing to challenge the way they think and work will find ways to not only survive, but to thrive and achieve even greater levels of success.
Photo courtesy of Mecalac
For more information, visit www.mecalac.com.
Peter Bigwood is the general manager of Mecalac North America. He has more than 30 years of industry and leadership experience with international equipment manufacturers. He serves on the board of the National Demolition Association, and previously served on the board of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association.
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