Several new skid-steer loaders have been launched in the region, as the demand for such vehicles grows in tight city worksites.
Bobcat is the name most commonly associated with this type of machine, and the Korean-owned firm has launched yet another loader to the line-up.
The new S70 replaces the 463. With a tier III compliant Kubota engine, the maker claims it to have halved the amount of soot produced.
Pictures show the S70 fitting through narrow gateways, and it clear that the machine is being targeted at areas where space is at a premium.
Additional safety features include Bobcat’s patented Interlock Control System, which prevents operation of the machine’s lift and tilt hydraulic functions and the traction drive system if the operator is not in the seat with the seat bar down and the engine running.
Another safety feature in the form of an auxiliary interlock valve blocks hydraulic flow to the auxiliary lines if the seat bar is not down.
But US firm John Deere has struck back with a viral campaign to promote its 313 and 315 skid-steers.”Skidsteersmackdown.com” is an interactive site that features video clips presented in a style similar to the TV programme’Robot Wars’.
The clips show the Deere skid-steers performing tasks on a dirt track alongside what is clearly a Bobcat 300.
“This site is above and beyond PDFs and specs. It’s an entertaining experience for the user, but with real in-the-dirt comparisons you can watch,” said Sam Norwood, manager, John Deere Commercial Worksite Products. “No one has done anything like this before.”
“Viewers can also get dealer and buying information immediately, through a link to the main John Deere web site,” Norwood said. “We’re having some fun, but we’re also providing skid steer buyers with everything they need to know.” Deere machinery is in the top ten by volume of sales worldwide, yet it is relatively uncommon in the GCC.