Fall 2013 • bobcat.

com

Excavating
specialists
make a comeback
in Florida

T590 excels at grading and excavating

NEW Contest winner announced

FEATURE A day on the farm


CONTENTS
18
6 28
4 A SAMPLE OF BOBCAT
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
Check out what Bobcat fans
are saying on Facebook.
5 CREATE AND CONSERVE HABITAT
EVENT CONTEST COVERAGE
Read about the contest winner.
SUCCESS STORIES
6 CENTRAL CABLE CONTRACTORS
For underground utility projects
in urban or residential areas, a
Wisconsin-based cable installer
switched from operating tractor
loader backhoes to more efficient
Bobcat® compact excavators.
8 RONALD CLINE TRENCHING
As utility installations have changed
over the years, so too has the
type of equipment best suited for
underground installations.
9 TERRY PETERSON FARMS
For dairy farmer Terry Peterson,
Bobcat is the only brand of skid-
steer loaders that he’ll purchase.
Read about the daily chores for
Peterson’s S650.
12 RALPH ENGELSTAD ARENA
A ToolcatTM 5600 is the machine of
choice for grounds maintenance at
the heralded Ralph Engelstad Arena
in Grand Forks, N.D.
14 THE BOBCAT SYSTEM
Pairing a Bobcat compact track
loader with an excavator rather than
operating larger equipment has
proven to be more profitable for
two contractors.
18 LAKE CITY TRANSFER STATION
Updating its equipment needs to a
Bobcat S850 skid-steer loader with
industrial grapple has been a smart
decision for a solid waste disposal
facility in Arkansas.
2 WORKSAVER FALL 2013
ABOUT THE COVER
MJ Land Development operates
one of its new Bobcat E42 excavators
at a new residential jobsite.
19 MAKING A COMEBACK
Two grading and excavating
customers who struggled to keep
their businesses going through
the Great Recession are seeing a
turnaround in the Florida economy.
Both companies have recently
purchased new M-Series T590
compact track loaders.
24 GENERAL EXCAVATING
An economic redevelopment in
downtown Lincoln, Neb., benefits
from the use of Bobcat compact
equipment, both skid-steer loaders
and excavators.
26 BUTLER POOL AND SPA
What started with an emergency
phone call to a local Bobcat dealer
turned into a success story for a
pool builder in Olive Branch, Miss.
28 BROOKS HAULING, GRADING
AND LANDSCAPING
A wise, long-term investment in
Bobcat compact loaders has paid
dividends for owner Chris Brooks
and his North Carolina construction
and landscaping company.
30 TIMBER CREEK THERAPIES
A Bobcat skid-steer loader helps
keep a unique equine therapy
center in Iowa operating smoothly.
33 PRECISE REBUILDERS
The decision to diversify its
business and add Bobcat compact
equipment as rental was a profitable
one for Precise Rebuilders in
Lexington, Tenn.
IN EVERY ISSUE
34 RECIPES
Try these new recipes submitted
by WorkSaver magazine readers.
Send us your recipe and receive a
complimentary Bobcat pizza cutter.
FALL 2013 • BOBCAT.COM • VOL. 37, NO. 4
STAFF
}EDITOR
Ryan Johnson
}ART DIRECTOR
Emily Shendelman
}GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Laura Stewart, Caren Hemann and Dana Van Woert
}PHOTO EDITOR
Chad Halverson
}PRODUCTION COORDINATORS
Alicia Price and Stacie Hansen
}PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER
Melissa Alto-Kintigh
}DEALER COORDINATORS
Kali Andersen and Stephanie Heckroth
}CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Paul Posel and Randy Happel
}CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ernest Feland, Van Garmon III and Brett Neal
WorkSaver® magazine is distributed by your local Bobcat
dealer as a complimentary publication throughout the
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and the Pacific Islands. It is published four times per year by
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Produced for Bobcat Company by Two Rivers Marketing.
Editorial correspondence should be directed to
WorkSaver Magazine, 106 E. 6th Street,
Des Moines, IA 50309-1951.
Email: WorkSaver@Bobcat.com
Bobcat® and the Bobcat logo are registered trademarks
of Bobcat Company in the United States.
© 2013 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved.
ADDRESS CHANGES
}OPTION 1
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and submit your changes electronically.
}OPTION 2
Send the back cover area that includes your name
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}OPTION 3
Email us at WorkSaver@Bobcat.com.
Include your subscriber ID.
Printed in the USA by Quad/Graphics — an EPA
partner through the Climate Leaders, Energy Star
and SmartWaySM Transport Programs. The ink contains
27 percent renewable resources.
Please recycle
 .
Editor s RYAN
Desk JOHNSON

This past summer, Bobcat Company sponsored a new contest called

the Create and Conserve Habitat Event. The winner was selected
in September and participated in a wildlife land makeover with Rick NEW AEM SAFETY E-BOOKS
and Julie Kreuter, co-hosts of “Beyond the Hunt” on the Outdoor JOIN UPDATED PRINT MANUALS
Channel. Read about the winners on page 5. Look for a story and
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers
pictures about the land makeover in the 2014 WorkSaver® Winter
(AEM) has extensively updated its popular
issue, expected to arrive in homes around January 15. skid-steer loader safety manual and now also
offers e-book versions in English and Spanish.
Much of the skid-steer loader safety manual
has been rewritten and the graphics have
REVISED BOBCAT PAUSE PAGE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PICTURES been updated to be more inclusive of all styles
of skid-steer loaders. The safety information
For many years, the Bobcat Pause If you’ve ever wondered about the contains several key additions, including new
page in WorkSaver magazine has been pictures that appear in WorkSaver and content on ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel hazards.
devoted to sharing comments and would like to see more images from a
The manuals are available through the online
pictures from readers like you. It was particular story, now you can. For some
AEM store (http://shop.aem.org) with the
a precursor to social media. A revised stories, a photo album will be available
e-book versions also available directly through the
Bobcat Pause page features some of the on the Bobcat Company page on
Apple iTunes® Store (https://itunes.apple.com).
best material from Bobcat social media, Flickr®. When you see the Flickr logo
submitted by Bobcat fans who are next to a bar code, simply scan the iTunes® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.
passionate about compact equipment. code with your favorite mobile device
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/social or visit the website to see a collection
for more details. Turn to page 4 to of images from customer jobsites. FOLLOW US:
see the new page.
Flickr® is a registered trademark of Yahoo!

www.MyWorkSaver.com/social

BOBCAT WEB GUIDE

More information about Bobcat products is just a click away.

www.MyWorkSaver.com/build www.MyWorkSaver.com
Summer 2013 • www.bobcat.com

Configure your machine and

bobcat.com
Start a subscription to WorkSaver,
get a quote from your local update an address or add an email.
Bobcat dealer. WE HAVE AN ATTACHMENT FOR THAT
80 PAGES OF BOBCAT ATTACHMENTS
tm

is mobile-enabled
Visit bobcat.com with your
favorite mobile device to view
specifications, browse image
galleries and watch videos for
Bobcat® products. You can also
browse current special offers,
used equipment listings or find
the Bobcat dealer nearest you.
www.MyWorkSaver.com/demo www.MyWorkSaver.com/training
Complete the online form to Find safety videos and
PREPARE PERFORM
request a product demonstration. Bobcat training resources for
compact equipment.
www.MyWorkSaver.com/literature bobcat.com/email
Sign up to receive Bobcat emails
Request literature by mail or
about new products, special
download a PDF.
promotions, contests and events.

FOLLOW US: www.MyWorkSaver.com/social

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

3
 CONNECT WITH BOBCAT www.MyWorkSaver.com/social

BOBCAT PAUSE

Bobcat Fans
on Facebook
See what everyone is talking
about. Join the conversation.

On the Line
Watch a behind-the-scenes
video of the Bobcat Company
manufacturing facility in Gwinner,
N.D., and see Bobcat compact
equipment assembled by hard-
working employees who are
passionate about what they do.

Scan this code to watch the video on your

favorite mobile device.

Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/ontheline
to watch it on your computer.

4 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

 CONTEST WINNER

HABITAT event winner JAY PRIER, MONDAMIN, IOWA

THE WINNERS OF BOBCAT COMPANY’S INAUGURAL 2013 CREATE AND

CONSERVE HABITAT EVENT ARE JAY AND SAMANTHA PRIER OF MONDAMIN, IOWA

ABOVE: Bobcat Company employee Robert
Gilles (left), Beyond the Hunt star Rick Kreuter
and contest winner Jay Prier.
Jay Prier submitted his entry with a
detailed list of improvements that he
wants to make to a portion of his
120 acres, located in Harrison County,
not far from the Loess Hills State Forest.
Along with Rick and Julie Kreuter from
TV’s Beyond the Hunt, on the Outdoor
Channel, Prier and Bobcat Company
employees transformed Prier’s land into a
habitat to attract wildlife. Plans included
land clearing and site development for
trails and food sources, building a rain
catch for area wildlife and leveling part of
the property and hauling material.
Look for a feature article with pictures
from the installation in the next issue of
WorkSaver® magazine, the Winter 2014
issue, which should arrive in homes
around January 15th. You can also review
Bobcat social media channels for pictures
and details.
Visit bobcat.com/CreateandConserve to see
pictures from this year’s entrants.

New Bobcat 500 Platform Loaders and E55 Excavator

32151-2 | P128G-0

BobcatStore.com
1:25 Scale Models of the S510, S530, S550, S570, S590, T550, T590 and E55

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

5
 CENTRAL CABLE CONTRACTORS

A more efficient way to work

UNDERGROUND CABLE INSTALLATION
COMPANY SWITCHES FROM TRACTOR
LOADER BACKHOES TO COMPACT
EXCAVATORS FOR IMPROVED
PERFORMANCE ON URBAN
CONSTRUCTION SITES

6 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

While Dale Jansen didn’t shout “eureka” at the time, the
discovery of what a Bobcat® compact excavator could do for OUR FIRST BOBCAT EXCAVATOR
his company turned out to be as good as gold for Central Cable TURNED OUT TO BE POWERFUL,
Contractors and its employees.
SMOOTH, EASY TO MAINTAIN
Jansen is president of Central Cable Contractors, Waupun, AND VERY PRODUCTIVE. IT
Wis., an installer of underground telecommunications cable WORKED OUT SO WELL THAT
throughout the Midwest that was founded in 1974. The WE WENT FROM ONE TO FIVE TO
company’s employees are always looking for a competitive
advantage. When the company purchased its first compact 10 TO 15 IN A FEW YEARS.
excavator about 14 years ago, its employees very quickly knew — DALE JANSEN, CENTRAL CABLE CONTRACTORS
the company had hit “pay dirt.”

“In our continuous search for a better way of doing things, we “It’s a competitive business,” Jansen says. “While price is
wondered if a small excavator would produce better results than important, our performance (quality plus productivity) is what
the traditional tractor loader backhoe (TLB) we had been using, gets us on that narrow list of firms that are selected to do these
particularly in urban areas,” Jansen says. “After we identified projects. Our Bobcat compact excavators, used in conjunction
Bobcat excavators as the best brand available, we were still with directional boring equipment, allow us to consistently
apprehensive about whether the compact machine could deliver produce the results necessary to stay on the bid list.”
the power and production we were accustomed to from a
100-horsepower TLB. While the TLB could outperform the When one of Jansen’s crews
excavator in open-field digging, much of our work is done in an is sent to an urban area — that Among the benefits of the
urban setting with plenty of restricted-access areas. is any place where they have compact excavators that
to work on a lawn or in a Jansen cites are:
“We didn’t know what to expect, but our first Bobcat excavator limited-access area — they will
turned out to be powerful, smooth, easy to maintain and very typically take a couple of
productive,” he continues. “It worked out so well that we went • Good visibility to the
Bobcat excavators.
from one to five to 10 to 15 in a few years. Today our company work area
has 20 Bobcat compact excavators of varying sizes, although “We use the machines to dig • Much less
we are moving toward having all E42s, which are the best so conduits can be coupled ground disturbance
combination of size and power for our purposes.” together and for installing
below-ground vaults and • Exceptional
The E42 is a 41.8-horsepower machine with a dig depth of above-ground cabinets maneuverability
10 feet 6 inches and a reach of 17 feet 3 inches. All of the firm’s that are used to enclose • Low fuel consumption
excavators were purchased from Mid-State Equipment in the telecommunications
Columbus, Wis. equipment,” he says. • Superior operator comfort
• Easy serviceability
BRINGING FIBER OPTICS TO HOMEOWNERS “The broad network of Bobcat
More than 90 percent of Central Cable’s projects today are fiber dealers available to provide
to the home. That means replacing or upgrading existing buried service is important,” Jansen
copper cable with new fiber-optic cable, which allows the says. “It’s just another benefit of operating Bobcat compact
telephone company to offer homeowners high-definition excavators — a real difference-making decision.”
video and other services by streaming 20 to 100 megabytes
of bandwidth. Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/MX to find online resources for Bobcat
compact excavators. The site has a complete list of Bobcat excavator models,
product specifications, approved attachments and Bobcat Advantage videos.

The Bobcat® E42 is one of five

DID YOU KNOW?

Bobcat is the only compact

excavator manufacturer that provides
excavator models available with an excavator with an extendable-arm
the extendable-arm option for option, which is clamp-compatible.
an additional 30 inches of reach Learn more by watching the Bobcat
Advantage Extendable Arm video.
when at full extension, providing Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/exarm
for less machine repositioning. to learn more.

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

7
 RONALD CLINE TRENCHING

For someone who says he
quit learning in seventh grade,
Ronald Cline (pictured left)
certainly knows plenty about
being a successful utility
installation contractor. After
28 years in the business,
more difficult. Our Bobcat
equipment makes their jobs
easier and more productive.
Plus, they pull up to a job
with a sense of pride because
of the tools they have to work
with. The equipment has been
Today, he still has three of the
loader backhoes, which are
often sitting at the back of his
equipment lot.
“With smaller yards and
houses closer together, the old

A WINNING he’s figured out what’s great for morale.” way of utility installation is no
important and what makes longer practical,” Cline says.
Cline owns seven Bobcat® “All the utilities are frequently

FORMULA
his customers continue to hire
his company.
“There is nothing more
critical than having good
employees,” says the owner
of Ronald Cline Trenching
Service Inc., Bono, Ark. “My
philosophy has always been
to treat them like family, and
provide good benefits and the
best equipment available.”
EMPLOYEES APPRECIATE
GOOD EQUIPMENT
Cline places a high
value on having state-of-
the-art equipment.
“A lot of these guys were
with me at the beginning
LONGTIME when I had to purchase
EMPLOYEES, used machines,” he says.
BOBCAT “They remember those
experiences and that’s why
EXCAVATORS DIG they appreciate what we have
WAY TO SUCCESS today. The work we do is
FOR ARKANSAS hard enough, but if you have
to repair equipment while
UTILITY you are trying to do your job,
CONTRACTOR that makes it just that much
compact excavators
purchased from Hugg & Hall
Equipment in Jonesboro,
Ark. Three are M-Series E32
excavators and four are older
331 models.
“About 15 years ago, I rented
a Bobcat compact excavator to
complete a job in very muddy
conditions,” he says. “After
finishing the work, I purchased
the machine because I decided
I couldn’t do without it. For a
while I demoed other brands
of excavators but I always
bought Bobcat excavators.
Now when I need another
machine, I just call my Bobcat
dealer to bring one out.
The excavators have been
productive and reliable, rarely
giving me any problems.”
EXCAVATORS ARE
PRACTICAL CHOICE
At one time, his equipment
of choice was large dedicated
trenchers with backhoes and
full-size loader backhoes.
packed together — you may
have to navigate two phone
lines, cable TV, gas, water,
sewer and storm drain. There
is no place for a trencher;
you can’t go very far without
crossing something. That’s
why compact excavators
and directional boring are
taking over.”
Cline says his operators have
nothing but good comments
about their Bobcat excavators,
especially the new M-Series
models. He especially likes the
significant fuel economy and
the reliable performance.
“The Bobcat brand of
excavators is simply the
best,” he says. “That’s why
I continue to buy them. The
other machines that I have
looked at over the years just
don’t match up to Bobcat.”
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/MX
to learn more about the E32 and
M-Series compact excavators from
Bobcat Company.

WITH SMALLER YARDS AND HOUSES

CLOSER TOGETHER, THE OLD WAY
OF UTILITY INSTALLATION IS NO
LONGER PRACTICAL … THERE IS NO
PLACE FOR A TRENCHER; YOU CAN’T
GO VERY FAR WITHOUT CROSSING
SOMETHING. THAT’S WHY COMPACT
EXCAVATORS AND DIRECTIONAL
BORING ARE TAKING OVER.
— RONALD CLINE, RONALD CLINE TRENCHING SERVICE INC.

8 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

 TERRY PETERSON FARMS

NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT A WISCONSIN DAIRY FARMER AND CATTLE

EXPORTER DOESN’T NEED HIS DEPENDABLE BOBCAT SKID-STEER
LOADERS, WHICH HAVE NEVER LET HIM DOWN

Life on the farm is much different today for 68-year-

old Terry Peterson, reflecting on how much has
changed since the family farm added Bobcat® skid-
steer loaders and attachments — the only brand of
skid-steer loaders purchased by Peterson.

Peterson and his wife Sandy live on the farm where

Terry grew up near Lancaster, Wis., in America’s
dairy heartland, where they raise cattle and grow
row crops for feed. “We’ve always had cattle and we
grow alfalfa, corn and soybeans on approximately
680 total acres,” he says.

Introducing skid-steer loaders on the farm replaced

much of the work previously done with larger,
less maneuverable tractors or by hand, according
to Peterson. His son-in-law, Rob Crubel, and an
employee, Bob Cooley, take care of the farm’s
daily chores. Cooley has worked for Peterson
for more than 35 years and he’s seen quite a
few product enhancements to Bobcat skid-steer
loaders. Crubel is getting his feet wet in the beef
cattle industry, learning alongside Peterson, with
60 Red Angus cows and heifers.

A DEPENDABLE PAIR
Today, two Bobcat S650 skid-steer loaders —
purchased from K & L Bobcat, Darlington, Wis. — are the
workhorses on the farm. There isn’t a day that goes by that the
S650s are not helping to complete chores and clearing snow
and ice in winter, according to Peterson.
“We’ve never had a skid-steer loader other than a Bobcat
(loader),” Peterson says, “and we’re really impressed with the
power and performance the new S650 loaders have, and the
extra room in the cab. We purchased them with the enclosed
cab with heat and air conditioning, Power Bob-Tach™ system
and two-speed option — we love them.”
Crubel says the two-speed option available in the
Bobcat loaders is particularly helpful when he’s working in the
fields, picking up and transporting hay bales.
“Bobcat skid-steer loaders replaced our tractor, as far as
picking up bales, because of two-speed,” Crubel says. “What
used to take us two hours with a tractor can be done in about
an hour. We put the machine in two-speed, pick up and carry
the bales, plus we’re not tearing up the fields as much. I prefer
the Bobcat loader over the tractor any day.
continued on page 10

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

9
 NEW
TERRYPRODUCTS
PETERSON FARMS

WE’RE REALLY IMPRESSED WITH

THE POWER AND PERFORMANCE
THE NEW S650 LOADERS HAVE,
AND THE EXTRA ROOM IN THE CAB.
— TERRY PETERSON, CATTLE FARMER

“Some of our stock yards require a machine with a close turning

radius. Our Bobcat loaders go in the yards and have no problem at
all. They are much more maneuverable than a tractor with a front-
end loader, which may be twice as long as a Bobcat loader.”
Creature comforts are critical to daily loader operators like
Crubel and Cooley, particularly when they’re in the machine for
many hours. Crubel is quick to point out many of the product
developments in the new M-Series loaders from the prior S175
K-Series models.

MORNING

TASK 1 TASK 2 TASK 3 TASK 4

IF THERE’S SNOW,
PROVIDE NEW
CLEAN ALL THE PREPARE THE TMR
FEED ROUND BALES BEDDING FOR THE
BUNKS AND THE AND FEED THE
TO THE CATTLE CATTLE WHILE
RUNWAY WHERE THE HEIFERS
THEY’RE EATING
CATTLE STAND

Bobcat loaders clear snow Bobcat loaders use a bale Bobcat loaders load corn Bobcat loaders clean the
with a bucket. fork to lift and place large silage, haylage and grain barns and beds, place new
round bales in a feeder, to into the mixer. bedding material (corn fodder).
eat along with the Total Mix
Ration (TMR). “The loaders have enough
lift height and reach that
they can easily dump into
the mixer,” Peterson says.
A DAY ON This is a summary of a typical day, in
terms of taking care of the cattle and
THE FARM tending to routine farm chores.

10 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

 Cooling advantages
of Bobcat loaders

A new cooling system available for

Bobcat is the only brand of loader that
Terry Peterson and his family have ever
owned. Son-in-law Rob Crubel (left)
and employee Bob Cooley (right) help
Peterson operate the cattle farm in
southwest Wisconsin.
Bobcat® M-Series loaders delivers better
performance and is easier to service.
“The new (M-Series) radiator cover doesn’t
let as much debris in — all we have to do is
take the cover off and remove the debris —
and it’s much easier to blow out,” says Rob
Crubel, a cattle farmer in Lancaster, Wis.
Watch a video to see the advantages of the
new Bobcat cooling system. Simply scan this
bar code or visit the URL below.

“Overall, I think the all-around visibility in the S650s is great. We can see a lot
better and the cab feels like it is a lot bigger; I’m not cramped in there,” Crubel
says. “Even the windows are a lot nicer, sliding in and out. And the controls are
more responsive. It’s almost like you can take your fingertips and move them,
that’s how precise it can be, or just move my foot a little bit and it offers
good control.”
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/ag to find more resources available from Bobcat Company for www.MyWorkSaver.com/cooling
agriculture producers.

AFTERNOON

TASK 5 TASK 6 TASK 7 TASK 8

UNLOAD PALLETIZED
HAUL MANURE FROM BRING IN HAY BALES BUILD OR MEND
MATERIALS UPON
THE BARNS FROM THE FIELD FENCES
DELIVERY

Pile it or load it into manure Bobcat loaders attach a Bobcat loaders with a Bobcat loaders dig new
spreader, as needed. bale fork to lift and carry pallet fork, unload pallets of post holes with an auger.
bales to the barn for salt or seed corn.
Bobcat loaders scrape
storage, or load dry hay
manure, push into piles and
from the barn onto trailers
use a bucket to load into
for sale to other producers.
the spreader.
“If the manure is frozen, the
loader’s bucket can easily
loosen it,” Peterson says.

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

11
 RALPH ENGELSTAD ARENA

THE TICKET TO SUCCESS AT “THE RALPH”

A GRAND FORKS SPORTS ARENA
ADMIT ONE

SCORES A GOAL WITH THE ADDITION

OF A TOOLCAT UTILITY WORK
MACHINE AND ATTACHMENTS
FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR
GROUNDS MAINTENANCE

Hockey is a beloved sport in North ALL-WHEEL STEER SUMMER LANDSCAPING TASKS

Dakota, so much so that the men’s and
women’s hockey teams at the University
of North Dakota (UND) play the game in
the heralded on-campus Ralph Engelstad
Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. It could
be considered the Taj Mahal of hockey
arenas. The $104 million facility opened
in 2001 and seats approximately 11,600
guests for athletic activities as well as
non-athletic events, such as concerts and
the annual circus.
Commonly known in the area as “The
Ralph,” the arena is a one-of-a-kind
facility, with granite flooring, deluxe
spectator seats made of cherry wood
and leather upholstery, a multitude
of escalators and TV monitors
throughout to make sure visitors don’t
miss any of the action. The arena was
built by the late Ralph Engelstad,
ELIMINATES MARKS
One of the primary responsibilities for
the Toolcat 5600 is repainting the ice.
Schuler says the 5600 with all-wheel
steer drive is ideal for painting the ice
because it doesn’t skid or slide.
“You don’t want to slide on the ice
because you’ll leave rubber marks,”
Schuler says, “so we operate in all-wheel
steer mode for simple and easy turns.”
Schuler pulls a trailer behind the 5600 to
evenly apply the paint to the ice prior to
hockey events.
YOU DON’T WANT
TO SLIDE ON THE
ICE BECAUSE
YOU’LL LEAVE
RUBBER MARKS.
Several part-time employees work
through summer and operate the Toolcat
5600 for outdoor landscaping projects.
Schuler says the machine is so simple to
operate that it doesn’t take long for new
operators to get the hang of it.
“We’ll put landscaping mulch in the cargo
box, haul it around the facility and the crew
will dump it in certain spots,” he says.
Two people can sit in the enclosed,
air-conditioned cab of the Toolcat
5600 while the operator drives from
one project to the next one — another
reason for its popularity in buildings and
grounds applications.
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/Toolcat to
learn more about Toolcat utility work machines.

online exclusive
an alumnus of UND and self-made
— BUTCH SCHULER,
millionaire who owned casino-hotels MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR
in Las Vegas and Mississippi.

Preserving the arena is a full-time job for
Maintenance Supervisor Butch Schuler
(pictured above) and his five
full-time employees. He’s been with
the arena since the day it opened
and is responsible for many of the
special handcrafted carpentry projects
throughout the facility. His choice of
compact equipment is Bobcat, and a
ToolcatTM 5600 utility work machine
and a Bobcat® utility vehicle are at his
and his employees’ disposal for daily
maintenance projects.
Want to see more Ralph
Moving outside the facility, Schuler
operates the Toolcat 5600 and Engelstad Arena photos?
attachments for snow removal in winter. Simply scan this bar code or
He says he is responsible for clearing visit the URL below.
snow and ice from the plaza, sidewalks www.MyWorkSaver.com/theralph
and gated parking lot adjacent to the
UND campus. “If we get a lot of snow,
I like to use the bucket,” he says, “but
the angle broom is good for cleaning
off the concrete, sweeping it away so it
doesn’t melt during the day and refreeze
at night.”

12 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

Get an edGe
On the mOst difficult jObs.
The right tool makes all the difference. Our full line of Bobcat ® attachment accessories allows you to
customize and extend the life of your tool attachments. Choose from a wide selection of bucket teeth,
cutting edges, auger bits, breaker bits and more.

Bobcat.com/parts

13
Bobcat ® and the Bobcat logo are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.
©2013 Bobcat Company. All Rights Reserved. | P130D-0
FALL 2013 WORKSAVER
 THE BOBCAT SYSTEM

ct
Bobcat compa
excavator

Bobcat
compact
track loader

WINNING

COMBO
PAIRING A BOBCAT COMPACT TRACK LOADER AND EXCAVATOR
ALLOWS TWO CONTRACTORS TO GET MORE WORK COMPLETED
THAN OPERATING A TRADITIONAL TRACTOR LOADER BACKHOE

14 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

Tractor loader backhoes (TLBs) have had their day in the sun
(and on the jobsite), but are now more frequently being replaced
by a combination of Bobcat® loaders and excavators. This
combination of two powerful machines is referred to as the MVP
Bobcat System. Learn how two companies have improved their
business as a result of implementing the system approach.

DK Manufacturing Construction
and Culverts, Michie, Tenn.

Father-and-son team Lynn and Jed Baker have a winning

formula for their construction business, one that allows them to er
Soil conditionen
take on more work and do it more efficiently. And it’s a strategy t}
they are willing to share. Their customers see it every day at {Most valuable attachm
jobsites and others learn about it during the holiday season when
the Bakers send out a couple of hundred holiday cards.
bottom line,
“It shows up on the
ry good profits for
“For a half dozen years, we’ve featured a photo of our newest generating ve
pa ny.” — Jed Baker
Bobcat machine on the cards,” Lynn says. “That generates our com
a lot of positive feedback, goodwill and additional work.”

Lynn has operated DK Manufacturing Construction and

Culverts, Michie, Tenn. (pop. 647), for two decades. Son Jed No attac
hment is
than the m
joined the company full-time a dozen years ago. Lynn’s father, Bobcat® ore valuable
accordin soil cond
David, helps out as well. They provide a variety of construction g to Lynn
an
itioner,
owners o
services, including utility installation, excavation and f a Tenne d Jed Baker,
construc ss
septic systems. tion com ee-based
pany.
“We use
it a
“At the present time, we are doing a considerable amount of driveway ll the time to put
underground work for utility companies,” Lynn says. “Our main s, grade in
sod or se yards pri
eding, ba or to layin
goal is to get in, do a good job and quickly move on to the next out the s ck g
oil after in filling, to smooth
one. To succeed, we need equipment that is fast, versatile and says. “It stalling u
cre tilitie
reliable. We have invested in good machines that allow us to get that mak ates a finished ap s,” Jed
es custo
more done.” mers very pearance
happy.”
The Bob
cat soil c
As a result, the 10-metric-ton bulldozer and 14-foot tractor rotating d ond
rum equip itioner has a
tipped te p
loader backhoe they used for several years now stay back at eth that ri ed with carbide-
the shop 85 percent of the time. Their jobsite replacements: and pene p throug
tra h dirt clu
a Bobcat T770 compact track loader and an E80 excavator. kit for a b te the soil. Add a mps
ox blade n end-win
grade, or effect to g
These two M-Series models and several attachments operate it leve
to follow in the flo l and
(soil conditioner, hydraulic breaker, auger, industrial grapple the conto at
urs of the position
and buckets), purchased from Williams Equipment in Jackson, terrain.
Tenn., have allowed the Bakers to take their business to a collect
new level of success. them al
continued on page 16 l!

Scan this code to see why Bobcat

THIS BOBCAT SYSTEM ALLOWS soil conditioners outperform other
US TO GET MORE WORK DONE brands. Watch the “Performance
Challenge: Bobcat Advantage for
AND DO IT IN A MUCH BETTER Soil Conditioners” video.
WORK ENVIRONMENT. If you don’t have a mobile device or would
— LYNN BAKER, DK MANUFACTURING prefer to view the video on a computer,
CONSTRUCTION AND CULVERTS visit bobcat.com/soilcond

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

15
 THE BOBCAT SYSTEM
a ker
Coaches B
& Baker
e 20!
Drop and give m
“This Bobcat System allows us to get more work done and
do it in a much better work environment,” Lynn says.
The T770 has a 92-horsepower engine, 3,475 pounds of
rated operating capacity and up to 11 feet of vertical lift.
“The T770 will do just about the same work as our dozer, but
is three times faster and a lot easier to move from one jobsite
to another,” Lynn says. “The ride control option produces a
very smooth ride over rough ground and reduces the chance of
spilling loose material from the bucket. It’s a great feature.”
The E80 is a minimal tail swing model that delivers 15 feet,
6 inches of digging depth. “There is no comparison between the
E80 and any other excavator we have ever tried,” Lynn says.
Jed is the main operator of both machines, often sitting in them
for six or seven hours a day.“The comfort features added to the
M-Series machines make it a whole lot easier to keep working
as the day goes on,” he says. “The bigger cabs with more glass
have improved visibility significantly. Noise levels are much
lower, too.”
Jed says they did not know how valuable the Bobcat System
would turn out to be until they used both machines on the same
job. “Now we take them everywhere together and continue to
be pleased with how much we get done.”
Bobcat System M-Series all-stars
E26 E32 E35 E42
16 WORKSAVER FALL 2013
THE T770 WILL DO JUST ABOUT THE
SAME WORK AS OUR DOZER, BUT
IT IS THREE TIMES FASTER AND A
LOT EASIER TO MOVE FROM ONE
JOBSITE TO ANOTHER.
— LYNN BAKER, DK MANUFACTURING CONSTRUCTION
AND CULVERTS
L & M Construction, Statesville, N.C.
The company may be called L & M Construction, but the
11-year-old firm is hardly limited to traditional commercial and
residential construction projects. In fact, the services it offers
range from landscaping to highway mowing to fire and storm
damage cleanup and even snow removal — plus, dozens of
other applications.
“When one type of business slows down, we are always
looking to diversify,” says Lyle Rader, who started the
Statesville, N.C., company with his wife, Melody, in 2003.
“Having the right type of equipment allows us to move into
something new quite easily.”
The two-person construction business grew into a multi-faceted
organization with 65 employees and a knack for taking on
work that at times sends the company in unexpected directions.
A POWERFUL COMBINATION
When the firm is hired for a project, Rader is ready with his
M-Series Bobcat System — a T770 compact track loader and
an E55 excavator — along with several valuable Bobcat®
attachments, purchased from R S Braswell, Kannapolis, N.C.
Excavators
E45 E50 E55 E63
 “We use them every day,” he says, “in all types of applications.
The versatility is so amazing that they allow us to be prepared
for whatever jobsite challenges we encounter. Plus, they are very
easy to move around.”
As a contractor regularly hired by the North Carolina
Department of Transportation (DOT), L & M has come to
expect the unexpected. One assignment is mowing along the
interstate highways around Charlotte. The company does a
portion every three months with the T770 and Brushcat™
rotary cutter.
“The high-flow (hydraulic) loader and the mower are really
efficient,” he says, “especially when working on the banks on
the sides of highways. The cutting deck floats over the often
uneven ground and does an excellent job of not only mowing
thick grass but cutting brush and even small trees. Visibility
from the M-Series loader cab is unmatched.”
That work is fairly routine compared to other times the DOT
calls. The company has been hired to repair washouts, fix
damaged pipes and other emergency work, often with little time
to spare.
“Every time we get an assignment that has some unknown
elements, there are always things we do not anticipate,” Rader
says. “I get surprised every day on the job.”
sewer and water lines. They have helped us build a strong
relationship with this company.”
Rader has relied on Bobcat equipment for nine years. He prefers
the track machines, having owned previous models of Bobcat
compact track loaders before purchasing the 92-horsepower,
10,237-pound T770, and three older compact excavators prior
to the 48-horsepower E55, which features a maximum digging
depth of 12 feet, 11 inches.
“I have been sold on the Bobcat track system for many years,”
he says, “and it keeps improving. Bobcat machines have the
most reliable tracks available. Rubber tracks minimize damage
to established surfaces and prevent downtime.”
He’s found the economics of operating Bobcat compact
equipment to be valuable.
“I’ve always made money with them, both on the job and when
it came time to sell,” Rader says. “I’ve sold several machines on
my own and have always done real well financially. They are
real profit-producers.”
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/M-Series to learn more about
M-Series Bobcat excavators and loaders, and how you can
combine them to create your own Bobcat System.

His team is ready because of the equipment they typically bring

to the job — the T770, E55 and attachments such as the Bobcat
combination bucket.

“That is one very valuable attachment,” Rader says. The

combination bucket can be used as a bucket, a grapple or for Coach
Rader
dozing, leveling and spreading material. “We use it all the time
for loading trucks.”

PROFITABLE PARTNERSHIP
Rader has a long history as the general contractor for a major
auto parts retailer.
“We’ve built about 150 stores over the last 10 years, working
in 15 different states,” he says. “We use our Bobcat loader and
excavator in tandem for rough and finish grading, and installing

Pass. Pass
. Pass.

Compact Track Loaders

E85 t550 t590 t630 t650 t750 t770 t870

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

17
 LAKE CITY TRANSFER STATION
AN IMPROVED METHOD TO HANDLE TRASH
A POWERFUL, HIGH-LIFTING BOBCAT S850 SKID-STEER
LOADER ADDS NEW DIMENSION TO TRANSFER STATION
Transforming a solid waste disposal
transfer station began with an old
building, a pile of repair bills and a
cumbersome articulated loader. Within
six months they were replaced by a new
building, a different handling system and
a powerful Bobcat® skid-steer loader.
“The result — less downtime, more
uptime and a more cost-effective way
of doing business — has been very
positive,” says Robert Hendrix (pictured
above), executive director of the
Craighead County Solid Waste Disposal
Authority, Jonesboro, Ark. “This is an
application that is not easy on equipment,
but I think we have put together a very
efficient way of handling solid waste.”
The facility, commonly known as the
Lake City Transfer Station, serves
garbage and trash haulers, contractors and
cities in the eastern portion of the county.
The Bobcat industrial grapple attachment makes
it easy for the operator to see the work area, with
good all-around visibility from the M-Series S850
skid-steer loader cab.
18 WORKSAVER FALL 2013
NEW BUILDING IS FIRST STEP
In December 2011, the county replaced a
20-year-old building with a new structure.
All waste materials are unloaded
inside the building, which features a
6,000-square-foot tipping floor and a new
40-foot scale.
Previously, a large articulated loader
pushed the trash onto an inclined
conveyor, which dumped it into a hopper.
Then the material was placed into an
8-cubic-yard compactor. Once 16 tons
of compact trash was accumulated, a
semitrailer that is especially designed for
this type of work hauled the material to a
sanitary landfill.
“This system served us well for some
time,” says Hendrix, “until the conveyor
began to break down. Parts were always
wearing out, and we had to constantly
bring in a welding crew to do repairs.
Month after month, invoices for fixing the
conveyor would show up. We all got tired
of that.”
Although they had the articulated loader,
Hendrix and his staff decided the machine
lacked sufficient maneuverability to keep
up with the work. The solution, they
decided, was a skid-steer loader.
“As a government agency, we are required
to take competitive bids, but it quickly
became apparent that a Bobcat S850 loader
was best for the job and less expensive
than a new articulated loader,” Hendrix
says. “The chute into our hopper is about
8 feet high, so we needed a machine that
could comfortably clear that distance.”
Purchased from Hugg & Hall Equipment,
Jonesboro, Ark., the Bobcat S850 is one
of the highest lifting skid-steer loaders on
the market with a 12-foot lift height. The
vertical-lift-path loader provides more
reach at full lift height, making it the ideal
machine for this application.
“The new system, which features the
S850, solid tires and industrial grapple
and pallet fork attachments, has proven to
be very efficient,” Hendrix says.
When visibility counts most
See why Bobcat® grapple
attachments provide superior
visibility and how other brands fall
short when grabbing and placing
items. Precision counts, especially
when working in confined areas.
Scan this code
with your mobile
device using
a code reader
application
available from
your favorite
app store.
If you don’t have a mobile device,
visit bobcat.com/igrapple
 CONSTRUCTION
GRADING CONTRACTORS

Ma k i n g a
co m e b a c k
GRADING CONTRACTORS IN FLORIDA SEE THEIR BUSINESS IMPROVING
AS THE ECONOMY REBOUNDS FROM THE GREAT RECESSION
Many would agree that one of the places hardest hit by the recession was Florida, particularly in the
homebuilding sector. Today two Florida-based excavating and grading companies — K&L Grading
and MJ Land Development — are back on track as homebuilding recovers, and they’ve recently
added new Bobcat® T590 compact track loaders to help keep up with their growing business.
continued on page 20

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

19
 GRADING CONTRACTORS

K&L Grading — Brian Lennon

Brian Lennon, owner of K&L Grading, Oviedo, Fla., knows
all too well how the Great Recession impacted his grading
business when homebuilding slowed dramatically in central
Florida. Lennon started his company 14 years ago, specializing
in grading for new residential construction. His first compact
Oviedo, Fla. equipment purchase was a Bobcat 753 skid-steer loader, a
machine that Lennon still owns today. “It’s a good machine,
and it was my first, so I kept it,” he says.

During the homebuilding peak of the previous decade, Lennon

said he employed about 30 individuals. When homebuilding
slowed during the recession — starting in 2007, the longest
recessionary period since the Great Depression of the 1930s —
Lennon was forced to cut back on staff, but today he says his
business is on the rebound and he has 19 employees. He says
things are turning around in central Florida, and housing start
statistics certainly support his feedback.

“I’m very blessed that we’ve been working,” he says. “Prior to the
recession, it was my goal to be debt-free. That’s what helped me
survive — getting my equipment paid for. And now we’ve been
extremely busy for the last eight months, very steady, working six
days a week. There are a lot of things taking off, and we’re getting
opportunities to bid on new jobs, so it’s going well.”

BOBCAT LOADERS CUT FINAL GRADES

From left to right: Brian Lennon, president;
Dylan Lennon, operator; and Josh Chaudoin, operator.
Long before the final grading occurs, Lennon and his crews
operate heavy equipment to clear a site for development,
making way for a new residential subdivision to be built. When
site development is complete and ready for the grading, they
call upon Lennon again, except this time it’s a team of Bobcat
compact track loaders that get the assignment. Lennon owns
four compact track loaders, from the T140 to the M-Series
T650, using low-profile buckets to prepare the soil before the
landscape contractor does his installation.
Due to the sandy soil conditions in central Florida, Lennon
says the compact track loaders perform very well, quickly
completing final grades.

“I bought the very first Bobcat compact track loader model,

the 864, and it sped up my process immediately,” he says.
“When the guys are in the sugar sand, when they’re turning and
pushing, the tracks perform very well. It’s much less stressful
for the operator; he just turns and rolls his dirt. The loader cuts
right through it when it’s turning.”

Bobcat introduced its first model 864 compact track

loader in 1999. Fourteen years later the company has
eight different models to suit customer needs, in terms
Lennon’s T590 performs exceptionally well in Florida’s soft and of size and performance.
sandy soil conditions, improving his overall productivity.

20 WORKSAVER FALL 2013


Lennon’s newest compact track loader is a T590 purchased from
Bobcat of Orlando. The 66-horsepower T590 fits nicely between
Lennon’s T140 and T650, and he recognizes improvements to
the machine’s performance, visibility and comfort.
“The guys like the new T590 because of the cab-forward
design,” he explains. “They like the part where they can see the
cutting edge on the bucket, where they can see better and are
doing a better job.
“One of the features that I really like for the T590 and T650 is
keyless start. I can set the codes and program them for different
operators, so I know how many hours each employee has used
the machine, and operators can’t get into another employee’s
machine without his permission.”
Bobcat M-Series loaders with the keyless start option come
with a new 4.6-inch LED screen with full-color capability for
increased readability and easy operator interaction.
MULTIPLE SIZES ARE RIGHT-SIZED
Having a wide size range of Bobcat loaders helps Lennon and
his operators handle special projects. For example, his T140,
at just 55 inches wide, is adept for completing grading projects
in small yards.
“In a lot of the residential grading that we do, we have 5 feet or
less to cut the swale along the property line next to an existing
house,” he says. “The T140 works really well for that. If I
couldn’t fit the Bobcat loader in there, the guys would have to
do it by hand, and it’s a lot of work to rake those areas.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Lennon’s 74.3-horsepower
T650 is the ideal size and has plenty of power for excavating and
grading for building pads. “The T650 is a good size for building
monolithic pads, a pad that’s slab on grade, because of its ability
to help with the cutouts to the garage or front or rear patio.”
THEY WERE THE FIRST SKID-
STEER LOADER AND I THINK
THEY ARE BETTER-BUILT FOR
LONGEVITY, MORE DURABLE THAN
OTHER BRANDS THAT I HAVE
DEMONSTRATED. MY BOTTOM
LINE, I JUST THINK BOBCAT
BUILDS BETTER MACHINES.
—BRIAN LENNON, K&L GRADING
Packs a punch in a compact frame
Watch the Bobcat® T590 compact track
loader in action and learn more
about the benefits of 500-frame-size
M-Series loaders.
Scan this code with
your mobile device
using a code reader
application available
from your favorite
app store.
If you don’t have a mobile device,
visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/500
SWITCH TO VERTICAL-LIFT-PATH LOADERS
Three of Lennon’s most recent purchases have been vertical-
lift-path Bobcat compact track loaders, which Lennon says are
well-suited for his truck-loading needs and provide more reach
at maximum lift height.
“I changed from the straight [radius path] boom available on a
T180 to the vertical-lift-path configuration when I purchased
my first T190,” he says, “and they definitely have more lifting
capacity and reach.
“I think Bobcat loaders are one of the best on the market. They
were the first skid-steer loader and I think they are better-
built for longevity, more durable than other brands that I have
demonstrated. My bottom line, I just think Bobcat builds better
machines. They have a good understanding of what it takes to
make a durable product, especially the compact track loader’s
solid-mounted undercarriage.
“I guess you can say we’re definitely a Bobcat company; all
of my skid-steers are Bobcat [loaders]. I’ve always had a good
relationship with Bobcat of Orlando — for sales, parts, service
and rental. That’s a big plus in this business, to keep up with my
workload and my schedule.”
In addition to compact track loaders, Lennon owns two Bobcat
skid-steer loaders, an S160 and S185, which he uses with angle
brooms to keep dirt and construction debris off streets.
Additionally, he will attach an industrial grapple to pick up trash
on his jobsites, providing a clean environment for builders and
their customers.
continued on page 22
FALL 2013 WORKSAVER
21
 GRADING CONTRACTORS
MJ Land Development — John Watson,
TOP: A Bobcat E42 owned by MJ Land Development is operated
at a new residential construction site in south Florida. BOTTOM:
From left to right: Mark Gibbons, John Watson and Jeff Maclean
22 WORKSAVER FALL 2013
There has been
resurgence in
homebuilding
in south Florida,
particularly in the
Fort Lauderdale
area, where Fort
excavating and
grading specialists Lauderdale, Fla.
scramble to
keep up with
new housing
developments. John Watson — vice president of MJ Land
Development and business partners with Mark Gibbons and Jeff
Maclean — says it appears that the economy has turned a corner
and residential developers are building again.
Watson, Gibbons and Maclean started working together in 1987,
sharing their expertise in construction management. Watson
says the demand for excavating and grading work performed
with Bobcat® compact equipment increased dramatically, and
the regions where the business partners worked were far apart.
Each started his own company — MJ Land Development, Excel
Equipment and Magnum Land Development — working in
different counties in south Florida, on both the west and east
coasts. Together the companies employ 75 individuals, including a
group of experienced compact equipment operators.
Demand for new home developments has Watson and his
partners pressed for workers, looking for more skilled operators
to keep up with the many projects on their plate. Watson says
one of the builders he works for sold more than 100 homes in
one weekend. “Everyone is going full blast right now,” he says.
CORNERSTONE OF SUCCESS
Bobcat compact equipment is a mainstay for all three entities, as
far as site development for homebuilders: clearing land, creating
building pads and grading around the new home sites. Keeping
the sites free of trash and debris is also important to developers
who are trying to attract new buyers.
“We have multiple jobs now that the economy has picked up, and
we have new housing developments starting all over the place. We
use our Bobcat loaders with a grapple attachment and bucket to
load debris and move dirt, rather than moving heavy equipment,
which saves us a lot of money. We sweep the communities where
we work, too. Builders want the sites swept on a daily basis to
make the areas look presentable,” Watson says.
Having a diverse group of compact machines and attachments
allows Watson and his operators to keep up with customers’
Mark Gibbons and Jeff Maclean
demands — from an ultra-compact Bobcat 463 loader (just 36
inches wide with bucket) to the larger M-Series T590 and T630
compact track loaders. He keeps a mix of both skid-steer loaders
and compact track loaders of varying sizes to best match the
jobsite conditions and soil types. Smaller loaders are utilized
for construction projects that have limited access. “When we’re
working next to a finished house, pouring concrete instead of
renting a pump, digging footings in tight areas, working on small
additions or backfilling pools in hard-to-get-to areas, the smaller
machines are much more convenient,” Watson says.
As Bobcat developed and expanded its line of compact track
loaders, Watson added the machines to his equipment mix for
improved performance and productivity when working in
sandy soil. “We work in counties where the soils are very
loose, and compact track loaders make more sense. In soft soil
conditions, the Bobcat compact track loaders are three times
faster when grading. The tracked undercarriages on our Bobcat
loaders have held up well,” he says.
Theft protection
John Watson says theft is a big problem in south
Florida, which is why he purchases his Bobcat®
compact equipment with the keyless start option.
“It helps us because we can assign different codes
and leave the machines on the jobsites,” he says.
“It has dramatically reduced our theft problems.”
In addition to theft protection, Bobcat deluxe
instrumentation offers machine monitoring for
attachment usage, messages and warnings in seven
languages, function lockouts to prevent misuse or
damage, a digital clock and resettable job clock.

30+ YEARS … ONE BRAND

Bobcat has been a familiar brand name for Watson, for more
than 30 years, when he says his company had some of the first
Bobcat loaders in south Florida. “I saw the value they brought to compact track loader and go between all of the pipes and grade
the table, as far as maneuverability, accessing confined areas and the foundation to prepare for concrete. It’s on the money when
completing small jobs,” Watson says. “My first machine was a grading. Operators appreciate the bigger M-Series cab, too.”
743, then a 751, and upgrading from there to today’s machines.”
UNMATCHED DEALER SUPPORT
His current Bobcat compact equipment lineup includes a T590, a
“Everyone gives us equipment to use to try and get our
T650 and fourteen T190 compact track loaders; an E32 and two
business,” Watson says, “but as far as we’re concerned,
E42 compact excavators; and multiple skid-steer loaders.
between the reliability and quality of the machines and our
Replacing manual labor with compact equipment has proved to be operator preferences, we decided to continue buying Bobcat
beneficial for business owners like Watson, who make their living compact equipment.”
in the dirt. “In the old days, the guys dug the footings by hand,”
Watson and his business partners purchased their equipment from
he explains. “We switched from manual labor to Bobcat loaders
Bobcat of Palm Beach, which has two locations along the east
to improve our productivity. A task that previously took a crew of
coast of Florida. “The support we receive from our local dealer is
workers a couple of hours to complete can be done in 30 minutes
unbelievable. Not only do they care about selling machines, they
or less with a Bobcat loader and an attachment. Bobcat loaders are
care about the product, always asking how they can do something
so versatile and can be used in any application we perform. For
better. You can buy equipment anywhere and get promises, or
example, we can complete some bigger work, like loading a dump
you can buy Bobcat equipment that holds up with a dealer there
truck, without needing a larger front-end loader.”
to support you with any issues. That’s why my relationship with
A new cab-forward design on M-Series loaders puts operators Bobcat of Palm Beach has worked so well,” he says.
closer to the work area and improves their productivity.
Watson recognizes the efforts of his employees as contributing to
Operators have a better view of the cutting edge of the bucket,
long-term success. “Without the guys, the field superintendents
which allows them to be more precise. Watson and his operators
and the operators, it wouldn’t be possible. Everyone plays
pair a smooth-edge Bobcat bucket with their loaders for grading.
an integral part in the company, and that’s how we’ve been
“The improved visibility makes our operators more efficient
successful and able to get through the recession,” he concludes.
in our applications,” Watson says. “We’ll operate a Bobcat

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

23
 CONSTRUCTION
GENERAL EXCAVATING

AT THE DIRECTION OF LINCOLN,
NEB.-BASED GENERAL
EXCAVATING, BOBCAT EQUIPMENT
PERFORMS A VARIETY OF
SUPPORTING ROLES IN AN
ELABORATE REDEVELOPMENT
CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTION
Get more productivity from an E35
Watch the Bobcat
Advantage Digging
Challenge video to see how
a Bobcat® E35 compact
excavator can outdig the
competition in a two-minute
trenching test.
You may also view the video here:
www.MyWorkSaver.com/MXdig
A construction
Haymarket Distri
Since originally
commissioned in 1867,
the historical Haymarket
District, situated on the
western edge of Lincoln’s
vibrant downtown, has
experienced many noteworthy
transformations. Few if any,
however, rival the extensive
production that’s been
playing on the Lincoln
construction stage for the
past four decades.
Currently on track to meet
the projected fall 2013
completion timeline, the West
Haymarket Redevelopment
Project is a multi-faceted
endeavor intended to enrich
and revitalize more than
400 acres of a once-blighted
and underutilized business
district. Historically, the
affected redevelopment
area has operated primarily
as a railroad freight and
passenger service business.
The Burlington Northern
Santa Fe (BNSF) railway
operations here include main
line, switchyard and various
maintenance structures that
have been active within the
area since the 1880s.
When complete, the West
Haymarket Redevelopment
initiative will feature the
addition of new hotels, a
community plaza, more retail
and office space, and several
upscale residential units. The
main attraction, however, is the
new University of Nebraska
sports arena, athletic and
entertainment facility that
will become the new home of
the Cornhuskers’ men’s and
women’s basketball teams.
The $350 million facility is
situated within three-point
range of Haymarket’s center
court, in the same bustling
area that spawned the initial
growth and expansion
of Lincoln’s downtown
business district more than a
century ago.
BRIGHT WHITE AND
ORANGE EQUIPMENT
INVADES BIG RED
TERRITORY
At the direction of site
preparation personnel with
Lincoln-based General
Excavating, a veteran crew
of seasoned site preparation
experts has orchestrated the
completion of many different
facets of the redevelopment
work. Cast in a variety of
important supporting roles, a
versatile team of Bobcat® E35
compact excavators and S130
skid-steer loaders — clad
in bright white and orange
— have received glowing
reviews for their contributions
by locals who are more
accustomed to applauding
on-field performances by
their beloved Huskers
outfitted in red.

24 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

“hay day” for the historical
ct in Nebraska’s capital city
Construction work for the new
sports arena debuted in fall
2011, on a 500,000-square-
foot stage with an entourage
of excavation equipment
of varying capacities that
included Bobcat excavators
and skid-steer loaders. One of
the major roles completed by
General Excavating involved
the removal of more than
14,000 cubic yards of soil.
Additional supporting roles
included the rerouting of
an existing sewer line and
replacing the massive volume
of soil removed earlier before
any other work could begin.
Bobcat equipment has been
a trusted partner of General
Excavating for the entirety
of its 26-year existence.
In 2012, it added three
new 33-horsepower E35
excavators and six S130 skid-
steer loaders to its equipment
fleet. Bobcat S130 loaders
are just 60 inches wide (with
bucket) and well-suited for
operating in areas where
larger excavating equipment
won’t fit.
“The Zero Tail Swing
(ZTS) capabilities of the
E35 excavator make a big
difference on a lot of our
jobs,” says Joe D’Amico,
vice president of
General Excavating.
With ZTS, the E35 — part of
the Bobcat M-Series lineup —
For more info on the project, visit www.facebook.com/haymarketnow
has more unrestricted rotation
and flexibility when
working close to buildings
or other structures than
equipment such as tractor
loader backhoes.
“The ease of changing the
many available attachments Pinnacle Bank Arena
helps reduce time and labor
so our guys spend more time
on the job and less time with
equipment issues,” D’Amico
continues. “It all contributes to
the bottom line.”
Bobcat excavators have the
most cab space in the compact
equipment industry, a fact
recognized by D’Amico
Conceptual
and his operators. Pavilion at Lincoln Station rendering
“The operator station of the
E35 excavator is very user-
friendly,” D’Amico says,
“and the smooth-flowing
hydraulics help reduce
operator fatigue. Operator
comfort is one of those
intangibles that is difficult to
quantify, but our operators
certainly understand it. Conceptual
Arena Community Space rendering
“In final analysis, we just want
a machine that will do the job
efficiently, is easy to maintain
and reliable. That’s why
Bobcat equipment has been a THE EASE OF CHANGING THE MANY
part of General Excavating AVAILABLE ATTACHMENTS HELPS
for as long as we’ve been REDUCE TIME AND LABOR SO
in business.” OUR GUYS SPEND MORE TIME ON
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/MX THE JOB AND LESS TIME WITH
to read more about the new EQUIPMENT ISSUES.
generation of Bobcat
compact excavators. — JOE D’AMICO, GENERAL EXCAVATING
FALL 2013 WORKSAVER
25
 CONSTRUCTION
BUTLER POOL AND SPA

e q u i p m e n t
Compact
make s a s p l a s h r p o o l b u i l d e r
fo

WE COULD NOT DO THIS WORK

WITHOUT OUR BOBCAT MACHINES AND
ATTACHMENTS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IN
MOST CASES WE DO THE ENTIRE PROJECT
FROM DIGGING THE HOLE IN THE GROUND
TO FINISHING THE LANDSCAPING.
— JOE BUTLER, BUTLER POOL AND SPA

26 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

A POOL AND SPA CONSTRUCTION COMPANY NO LONGER
HAS TO CALL FOR EMERGENCY HELP THANKS TO THE RIGHT
EQUIPMENT COMBINATION
Today, Joe Butler
(pictured left)
can laugh about
the so-called
“911 call” he
made to Williams
Equipment, a Bobcat
compact equipment dealer in Memphis,
Tenn., a decade ago. But at the time it
wasn’t funny. That’s because as he was
backfilling a pool, his compact loader
(of another brand) got stuck in the mud.
The exasperated pool builder had to be
rescued by a Bobcat® T250 compact
track loader.
“The Bobcat machine pulled out my
other brand of loader. I said, ‘leave
the T250 here and take the other one
away,’” says the owner of Butler Pool
and Spa, Olive Branch, Miss. “I’ve had
Bobcat equipment ever since and never
had to call for help again.”
FULL-SERVICE POOL BUILDING
His lineup of Bobcat compact equipment
— three compact track loaders, a
compact excavator and an MT55 mini
track loader — is one of the main
selling points he uses for his successful
full-service pool building business.
His newest Bobcat purchase is a T750
compact track loader.
“By having our own equipment and
crews, our customers know we are going
to show up on time and our equipment
is not going to break down,” Butler says.
“We typically finish a pool in 10 days
or less while a lot of contractors take
30 days or more because they have to
rely on subcontractors. We do the entire
job ourselves.
“Then there is the impact on my bids. I
know I don’t have to call someone else
or rent another piece of equipment. With
Bobcat equipment, I’ve got just what I
need to get things done efficiently.”
Butler, who has been in business
25 years, installs about 50 pools a
year in Tennessee, Mississippi and
Arkansas. They include fiberglass,
vinyl and Gunite™ pool types. Gunite
is a building material consisting of a
mixture of cement, sand and water that
is sprayed onto a mold. His company
also specializes in custom spa and
hot tub design and construction, vinyl
liner replacement, custom decks, rock
waterfalls and fountains, as well as pool
maintenance services.
DEPENDABLE EQUIPMENT
“We could not do this work without
our Bobcat machines and attachments,”
he says, “especially because in most
cases we do the entire project from
digging the hole in the ground to
finishing the landscaping.”
Before he had his Bobcat equipment,
Butler was limited to pool installation
only. Customers had to hire others to do
the landscaping, sod work and fencing,
often causing the project to drag on for
weeks and sometimes months.
“These days, customers like one-stop
shopping,” he says. “They like to know
that the person they are hiring can
complete the entire project, and they do
not have to deal with other contractors.
“At the same time, customers like the fact
that we bring top-of-the-line equipment
to their homes. In the initial conversation,
I tell them the machines are all track
models that are not going to tear up their
yard. Then they see the equipment is well
maintained and clean, and that means a
lot to people. It makes a big difference.”
Butler uses his Bobcat compact excavator
and bucket to dig the hole for the pool.
It doesn’t damage the ground as it
moves around the yard, thanks to its
rubber track undercarriage. He says
the Hydra-Tilt™ swing accessory —
mounted between the excavator’s bucket
and dipper — is ideal for pool installers
because it allows the operator to angle
the bucket 30 degrees to the left or right
without moving the excavator.
Butler’s Bobcat compact track loaders
are also kept busy. They provide the
hydraulic power for the Bobcat concrete
pump attachment, trench for new water
lines, backfill around the pool, haul off
the extra soil and prepare the yard for
new sod with a soil conditioner.
MT55 REPLACES HAND-DIGGING
His Bobcat MT55 mini track loader
is a very popular addition with his
15 employees.
“We usually put in fencing around our
pools,” says Butler, “and for a long time
the digging was done by hand. Now that
back-breaking job has been turned over
to the MT55. We save 4 to 6 hours a day
when installing fencing. Everyone —
me, the crew and the customer —
is very pleased.”
He says that about half of today’s pools
go into small backyards, and the Bobcat
compact equipment he uses enables his
company to get more of these jobs.
“People say they have seen our work
and how easy our equipment is on
yards, so they just turn us loose in their
backyards knowing the job will be done
right,” Butler says.
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/minitrack to
learn more about the benefits of Bobcat mini
track loaders, especially when working in
confined areas.
FALL 2013 WORKSAVER
27
 BROOKS HAULING
MONEY
well spent
BOBCAT COMPACT When it comes to his history with Bobcat®
loaders, Chris Brooks (pictured left)
TRACK LOADERS has a memory bank full of information,
AND ATTACHMENTS including when he purchased his 11
ARE A SMART machines and how much they cost. He’s
INVESTMENT FOR also calculated that the two skid-steer
loaders and nine compact track loaders
A SUCCESSFUL have generated millions of dollars of gross
NORTH CAROLINA income for him by delivering reliable
CONTRACTOR performance and outstanding production.
“For me, the profit always began the day
each new machine arrived,” says the
owner of Brooks Hauling, Grading and
Landscaping, LLC, Pinebluff, N.C. “The
loaders, along with a number of Bobcat
attachments, have allowed me to take on
work I never imagined and to grow my
business. With the exception of a little
dip in 2008 and 2010, business has been
strong. The money that I’ve spent on
Bobcat loaders has produced a very good
return on my investment.”
28 WORKSAVER FALL 2013
Brooks specializes in both commercial
and residential landscaping, excavating
and grading. He’s been in business for
25 years but until 2000 he relied almost
exclusively on manual labor using
shovels and wheelbarrows. That’s when
he became one of the first in his area,
about 80 miles south of Raleigh, to
purchase a skid-steer loader to improve
his productivity.
“It was obvious that, without the right
equipment, I was limited as to what I could
do and that growth would be difficult,” he
says. “A person might be able to shovel
20,000 pounds of soil in a day, whereas a
machine could handle 2 million pounds.
My Bobcat loader changed everything
for me.”
Transitioning from manual labor to
equipment increased Brooks’ company
offerings. He is able to take on larger
 BROOKS’ TRUSTED
BOBCAT ATTACHMENTS

projects with his Bobcat loaders and Brooks work productively for up to 14
attachments, including the following tasks: hours a day.
• Clearing lots “The work environment of the M-Series
• Backfilling and grading machines takes a lot of stress off the
• Removing trees operator,” he says. “I use the loaders for a
variety of jobs — from building demolition
• Tearing down/demolishing
to installing irrigation systems — so that BUCKET
depilated structures
my company has gained a reputation as a
• Building roads place where one call gets it all.”

TRANSITION TO TRACKS BROOKS’ BOBCAT ATTACHMENTS:

Initially, a pair of Bobcat skid-steer • Bucket
loaders served him well, he says, but
by 2004 all of the lots on flat ground in • Dozer blade
his area were gone, which necessitated • Industrial grapple
working in hilly areas. • Pallet fork DOZER BLADE
“At times, the wet, muddy conditions • Sweeper
made it difficult to be productive,” he • Trencher
says. “A loader that isn’t moving material
isn’t making money. When new home Thanks to the Bob-Tach® attachment
construction moved onto hilly locations, I mounting system, Brooks can quickly
switched to Bobcat compact track loaders. and easily swap out different Bobcat
Production attachments to
significantly maximize the INDUSTRIAL GRAPPLE
improved when versatility
I used my T300, of his loaders.
A PERSON MIGHT
especially when
I could take BE ABLE TO “When I
advantage of SHOVEL 20,000 combined
the excellent POUNDS OF SOIL this group of
pushing power IN A DAY, WHEREAS attachments
the machine A MACHINE COULD with my
delivered. compact track
HANDLE 2 MILLION loaders, I
PALLET FORK
Since then, I
have purchased
POUNDS. MY was able to
eight additional BOBCAT LOADER expand the
Bobcat compact CHANGED business and
track loaders. EVERYTHING take on jobs
They all have FOR ME. where others
been well worth would have to
—CHRIS BROOKS, BROOKS HAULING,
the money.” GRADING AND LANDSCAPING, LLC use multiple
machines to
Currently, do the work,” SWEEPER
Brooks he says. “I just
operates two take a loader
92-horsepower T770 compact track loaders and the appropriate attachment. I‘d be lost
purchased from Southland Rental and without this equipment.”
Supply Co., Fayetteville, N.C. M-Series
features of these two units, such as the Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/T770 to learn more
larger cab, better all-around visibility and about the Bobcat T770 compact track loader and
increased power and strength, have helped other M-Series compact track loader models.
TRENCHER

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

29
 TIMBER CREEK THERAPIES

Giving HOPE,
one patient at a time
A UNIQUE EQUINE THERAPY CENTER HELPS
PATIENTS WITH DISABILITIES, WHILE A BOBCAT
SKID-STEER LOADER AND ATTACHMENTS
KEEP THE FACILITY IN TIP-TOP SHAPE

Nestled among native Iowa grasses and trees is a sanctuary
for individuals seeking therapy to recover from traumatic
injuries, work on rehabilitation or redeem a last wish. Timber
Creek Therapies near Panora, Iowa, gives hope and empowers
individuals to regain their sense of freedom. The therapy center
is also home to a Bobcat® skid-steer loader and attachments to
help maintain the facility.
Cindy McCarty is the director of Timber Creek Therapies and
has devoted much of the last 13 years to the organization and
its supportive charity, Timber Creek Charities — a 501(c)(3)
publicly supported, non-profit entity — to make a difference
in the lives of thousands of patients and their families. She’s
a trained speech/language pathologist who, with her husband,
Bill, started Timber Creek Therapies. Cindy also founded
Timber Creek Charities to help patients who lack adequate
insurance or funds to pay for physical, occupational and
speech/language therapies.
BOBCAT LOADER AT WORK
There’s a long list of chores that needs to be done daily to
ensure the facility is in top-notch shape for visitors and patients.
In addition to being a side walker, Merv Krakau is responsible
for maintaining the grounds, which he does in earnest with
a Bobcat® skid-steer loader and multiple attachments —
purchased by Bill McCarty at Haley Equipment in Carroll,
Iowa. While Krakau didn’t grow up on a farm, he knows a
thing or two about operating the Bobcat loader.
“It’s the only one (loader) I’ve run,” he says, “and it’s easy to
operate, very user-friendly. It’s a versatile piece of equipment.
We put the bale fork on the Bobcat loader and move the bales
around, which makes it nicer and easier.”
Other uses for the Bobcat loader include excavating with
the backhoe attachment, using a bucket to move sawdust or
cleaning manure to load it into a spreader and, with animals,
there’s always a need for fence repairs.
“Fencing is always an issue,” Krakau says. “We have the auger
and it helps us dig the holes for posts for our fence lines. That’s
helpful because that’s a lot of work to do by hand.”
Cindy points out that among the surrounding timber are locust
trees with long thorns that are a health hazard for the horses.
After the Bobcat loader clears the trees, Krakau attaches the
industrial grapple and grabs the trees and hauls them away.
Next, the loader and a BrushcatTM rotary cutter cut overgrown
grass and small trees, which Krakau says is helpful to keep it
from interfering with the electric fencing. He says the mower
goes underneath the fence to clear weeds, preventing it from
causing a short circuit.
Bobcat skid-steer loaders have been a part of Bill McCarty’s
life since he had them on his farm when he was young. He
says he has always liked Bobcat loaders because they are the
original loader in the compact equipment industry.
ABOVE: Timber Creek Therapy Center Director Cindy McCarty and
employee Merv Krakau keep the Center’s Bobcat skid-steer loader busy
with daily chores and maintenance projects.

30 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

 WE DON’T MAKE ANY MONEY AT
TIMBER CREEK THERAPIES, AND
THAT’S PROBABLY ANOTHER
REASON WHY THERE AREN’T
OTHER FACILITIES LIKE OURS.
I DONATE MY TIME. I’M HAPPY
TO GET UP AND GO TO WORK
EVERY DAY.
— CINDY MCCARTY, DIRECTOR OF TIMBER CREEK THERAPIES

“They’re very dependable, versatile and reliable,” Bill says. “The dealer
has come down to check on the loader or pick up things for us; they’re very
accommodating and prompt,” Cindy adds.

The Bobcat skid-steer loader and attachments ensure that Timber Creek
will be able to provide therapy for patients, helping bring hope to many
who are discouraged and an opportunity to enjoy another horse ride at
Timber Creek Ranch.

ABOUT TIMBER CREEK

Bill and Cindy purchased 220 acres near Panora, with natural springs and
various timbers, and started Timber Creek Ranch, originally because Bill
wanted a place to raise cattle, having grown up on a cattle ranch. It has 60 acres
of tillable land; half to raise hay and the other half for pasture.
“It was kind of his get-away hobby,” Cindy says, “and he and I have always
had horses. We would ride out in the timber.” That’s when she started to think
about helping patients with the use of horses.

“I thought about adults I worked with in nursing homes who had strokes,
especially those who didn’t have hobbies. I thought, if I could get them out
here, they would really like it. I started reading about using horses in therapy
and I’ve always loved horses, so wouldn’t it be great if I could work with
horses and do therapy, too?

“My friend, Sue Behrens, a wonderful physical therapist who had put some
of her patients on horses for movement disorders, was seeing good results
from it. So we talked about what we could do to offer more therapy using
the horses.” Behrens has been a physical therapist at Timber Creek Therapies
since the beginning.

That thought started Cindy down a path of much reading and studying.

“I went to 11 different states and took training from other therapists who have ABOVE: Side walker Merv Krakau goes along with
programs and learned how it all started,” she says. “Every place I visited, I would a guest who visited Timber Creek Therapies for
look at the facility and think about what we might be able to do at our facility.” the opportunity to ride a horse for the first time
in decades. BELOW: The therapy center’s Bobcat
skid-steer loader and auger are used to install
Through her studies, Cindy learned the way a horse walks is the same way a
new fence posts.
human being walks. Here is how she describes it: “When you walk, your pelvis
moves your torso, your trunk, in three different places, simultaneously. You get
an anterior posterior motion, lateral motion and rotation pattern. All three of
those things are going on at the same time, and there’s no machine that has
continued on page 32

FALL 2013 WORKSAVER

31
 RENTAL
TIMBER CREEK THERAPIES
been developed that can duplicate the
human walk.”
Hippotherapy is the common name
associated with the use of horses in
physical, occupational and speech/
language therapy programs; “Hippos” is
the Greek word for horse. The therapy is
believed to have originated in Germany
and, according to McCarty, was brought
to the United States in the early 1980s.
“Therapists brought their knowledge of
hippotherapy back to the United States,
started programs all around the country,
started doing more research and found
that it was a good tool.”
NEXT STEP: INDOOR ARENA
In 2001, Cindy and Bill took the next
step and had an indoor riding arena
constructed, and a therapy building built
in 2002. The 80-by-120-foot arena is
where visitors participate in physical,
occupational and speech/language
therapies. Timber Creek Ranch also
offers therapeutic riding as a recreational
activity for people with disabilities. Many
patients have insurance coverage for their
therapies but, for those who don’t, Timber
Creek Charities steps in to help. In 2012,
Timber Creek Therapies helped 175
individuals with disabilities to receive
therapeutic treatment at Timber Creek
Ranch. A portion of this group comes
from area nursing homes and adult
residential facilities.
“We operate 52 weeks of the year and,
as far as I know, we are the only facility
in Iowa using horses in medically based
32 WORKSAVER FALL 2013
treatment year-round,” she says. “We
have had a number of people come
to us in wheelchairs who are now
independent walkers, and many had
been in traditional therapy. The horse is
a tool for therapy like no other.
“We don’t make any money at Timber
Creek Therapies, and that’s probably
another reason why there aren’t other
facilities like ours. I donate my time
so that helps pay the staff and the bills,
and the help from our charity makes it
possible to see more patients and keep
providing services. A lot of my friends
are retiring. I don’t want to even think
about retiring. I’m happy to get up and
go to work every day.”
Today, Timber Creek Therapies has
24 horses, which are cared for by
Timber Creek Ranch. Most of the
horses are available for therapy with
patients, and there are different breeds
because, as Cindy points out, some
diagnoses are better with certain breeds
than others.“For example, people
who have neurological diseases, like
Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis, do
better with gaited horses because of
their lateral pelvic movement,” she
says. “Our horses include Quarter
horses, Appaloosas, Paints, Tennessee
Walkers, Haflingers, a Norwegian
Fjord, a Missouri Fox Trotter, an
Arabian cross, a draft cross
and a Belgian.”
Patients wear helmets and gait belts
for safety purposes. Three people
accompany each patient and horse:
Outside of the horses at Timber Creek
Therapies, Cindy McCarty has a physical
therapy room and another area with a warm
water pool that features a moving current to
help patients work on balance and mobility.
Another machine in the PT room helps
spinal cord patients by making the patient’s
muscles contract, even in a paralyzed limb,
so it helps to keep the muscles viable,
according to Cindy.
a horse leader, a therapist and a side
walker. Most commonly, Krakau walks
with patients. Cindy says he is the
therapy center’s “strong side walker.”
For patients who are not able to ride,
Cindy even has a carriage that is pulled
by the Belgian horse. “I knew some of
the geriatric population wouldn’t be
able to get on the horses, so I found
someone who builds carriages and he
made it for Timber Creek Charities,”
she says. It also accommodates
individuals in wheel chairs with a few
minor modifications.
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/SSL to find more
information about Bobcat skid-steer loaders,
including approved attachments.
online exclusive
Want to see more Timber
Creek Therapies photos?
Simply scan this bar code or
visit the URL below.
www.MyWorkSaver.com/timbercreek

WISE DECISION TO ADD RENTAL
EQUIPMENT REPAIR BUSINESS SEES OPPORTUNITY TO DIVERSIFY WITH
THE ADDITION OF BOBCAT COMPACT EQUIPMENT AND ATTACHMENTS
For almost two decades, Keith Garner
has operated Precise Rebuilders, a
company based in Lexington, Tenn.,
that rebuilds alternators, starters
and generators. When the price of
components began to impact profitability
about six years ago, he started to look
for a way to diversify. Around the same
time, the only equipment rental store in
town was going out of business.
The timing could not have worked out
better, and neither could the results.
“I thought rental would be a nice fit
for us because we are so proficient at
maintaining equipment,” Garner says.
“It certainly has been a good decision.”
CHOOSING EQUIPMENT CAREFULLY
Garner carefully selected the equipment
for his rental business after researching
products on the Internet, attending rental
shows and surveying his rebuilding
customers. His research has paid off
in spades.
“Early on, I began looking for skid-steer
and compact track loaders,” he says.
“I found that Bobcat® products were at
the top of most people’s list for being
user-friendly and maintenance-friendly.
Once I added them to my rental fleet,
I found that to be true.”
DIVERSE BOBCAT LINEUP
Currently, Garner has a pair of compact
track loaders, including a new M-Series
T650, a skid-steer loader, an MT52
mini track loader and two compact
excavators. He also has several Bobcat
attachments for use with his Bobcat
tool carriers.
Garner’s store, which is located on
one of the main streets in Lexington
(pop. 8,000), attracts customers from
throughout Henderson County as well as
a couple of neighboring counties.
The nearest equipment rental store is
about 40 miles away. A bypass road
that is planned to move highway traffic
around the town figures to be good for
his business — it will come within
300 yards of the store.
“A lot of our rental customers are
long-time users of our rebuilding
services,” he says. “As they go in and
out the front door getting their own
equipment repaired, they see we are in
the rental business. I did not foresee that
happening as much as it does, but the
overlap has been very advantageous.”
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY
RELIABLE. AT TIMES
OUR CUSTOMERS
REFER TO THEM AS
‘INDESTRUCTIBLE,’
AND I AGREE.
THEY RENT AS WELL
AS ANYTHING WE
HAVE, WHICH IS
A TESTIMONY TO
THEIR VERSATILITY,
DURABILITY AND
USEFULNESS.
— KEITH GARNER, PRECISE REBUILDERS
Contractors, homeowners and farmers
are the leading groups of renters, notes
Garner. Most rent for a day; he very
seldom gets long-term business. The
Bobcat mini track loader with trencher
attachment is popular with farmers
installing cattle watering stations. They
also rent one of his larger loaders twice a
year to clean out cattle stalls.
PRECISE REBUILDERS
Although Garner originally believed that
rental would be good for his company
because employees were so proficient
at maintaining and repairing equipment,
that hasn’t been much of an issue with
his Bobcat machines.
“They have been very reliable,” he says.
“At times our customers refer to them as
‘indestructible,’ and I agree. They rent
as well as anything we have, which is a
testimony to their versatility, durability
and usefulness.”
Garner has never traded in any Bobcat
equipment, preferring instead to sell
them himself.
“The resale value has always been
excellent,” he says. “Typically a Bobcat
machine will pay for itself after about a
year of rentals and we keep them for an
additional two years, a very profitable
two years.”
Visit www.MyWorkSaver.com/rental to learn
more about Bobcat compact equipment and
attachments for rental.
Keith Garner of Precise Rebuilders most
recently added a Bobcat T650 compact
track loader to the company’s rental fleet.
FALL 2013 WORKSAVER
33
 From the Share your recipe, get a FREE Bobcat pizza cutter

kitchenof Do you have a favorite recipe that you’d like to

share with other WorkSaver® readers?
If so, submit your recipe(s) with a picture via email to
WorkSaver@Bobcat.com or mail to WorkSaver magazine,

WorkSaver 106 E. 6th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50309.

We may publish yours in an upcoming issue.

readers
For submitting a recipe, you’ll receive a complimentary Bobcat pizza cutter.
Please provide your complete mailing address for shipping.

Favorite Bread Submitted by Deanna Good, Hummelstown, Pa.

3 cups flour 1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, and cover with a
towel. Let sit overnight.
1 3/4 teaspoon salt
2. Preheat oven to 450° F.
1/2 teaspoon yeast 3. Place dough on well-floured surface. Shape into ball
and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 30 minutes.
1 1/2 cup water
4. Place a covered baking dish in oven for 30 minutes.
5. Put dough in preheated pan, put cover over and bake
30 minutes.
6. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes.

Granola Bar Bites Submitted by Anna McLeod, Gilbert, S.C.

2 cups old-fashioned oats 2 tablespoons butter 1. Prepare 8x8-inch baking dish: Line with parchment
1 cup Rice Krispies® cereal 2 tablespoons coconut oil paper and spray with cooking spray.

1/2 cup to 1 cup favorite trail
mix (such as dried fruits, nuts
and coconut flakes)
(or butter, if you prefer)
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
2. In a large bowl, stir together oats, cereal and
trail mix.
3. Over medium-high heat, melt butter, coconut oil
(or butter), corn syrup and brown sugar in a small
saucepan. Once mixture starts to bubble, reduce
heat to low and cook for two minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Pour hot mixture over cereal.
Stir well to combine.
5. Pour into prepared baking dish. Press down firmly
with spatula.
6. Allow to cool and then cut to preferred size
(for example, 2-inch cubes).
Granola Bar Bites will keep fresh for several days in a
sealed container.

34 WORKSAVER FALL 2013

one Vs many
CompaCt exCaVators faCe off

see who wins going head-to-head.

Do you want to see how compact excavators perform in head-to-head competitions or watch
side-by-side comparisons relating to performance, serviceability and durability? Before you
buy your next excavator, watch our video comparisons of excavators. Not only do the videos
show you which excavator is best, they explain the small details that increase your performance
and reduce your downtime. You can watch all the videos at MyWorkSaver.com/MXAdvantage or
scan the code and find out who comes out on top.

Bobcat ® and the Bobcat logo are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries.

35
©2013 Bobcat Company. All Rights Reserved. | 1204S-0
FALL 2013 WORKSAVER
WorkSaver® Magazine Change Service Requested PRST STD
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106 E 6TH ST PAID
DES MOINES, IA 50309-1951 PERMIT NO. 700
PEWAUKEE, WI

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An
S
H
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C

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t
LAS
This is your last chance to SAVE BIG

nt
e
on Bobcat equipment in 2013!

ev
Hurry in today or check Bobcat.com/myoffers
for all models, terms and conditions.

0 %

FPO
for 60 months

OR rebates up to $6,200 on all new

Bobcat ® compact excavators
OR rebates up to $4,800 on all new
Bobcat compact track loaders

0 %
0 0 % %
for 48 months for 48 months for 24 months
OR rebates up to $3,000 on all new OR rebates up to $1,100 on all new OR $1,300 rebate on all new
Bobcat skid-steer loaders Bobcat utility vehicles Toolcat™ utility work machines

*Offer ends 11/30/13. Available at participating and eligible dealers only. Offer may vary by product type, series, model and select units in dealer inventory. Offers available on new equipment in US and Canada only. Some
restrictions apply. Length of contract may vary. Prior purchases not eligible. See dealer for details. Financing provided on approval of credit by authorized Bobcat finance providers to well qualified buyers. The rates listed herein do
not take into consideration any administrative fees and are subject to change based on the amount of such fees (which may vary). Offer not available to government accounts, national accounts and municipal/utility bid customers.
Non-commercial customers may not be eligible for low rate financing. Bobcat Company reserves the right to extend or discontinue any of these programs at any time without prior notice. Bobcat ® and the Bobcat logo are
registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. ©2013 Bobcat Company. All Rights Reserved. | 32429