Bobcat System Makes Big Difference for Contractor

Award-winning contractor John Colomba says his Bobcat System sets him apart from others.

Ever since John Colomba began his excavating and trucking services business eight years ago, he’s done things differently than most contractors—he takes on the more challenging projects.

Using his Bobcat System—a Bobcat® 753 skid-steer loader and 331E compact excavator—the award-winning Canadian contractor goes where operators of larger equipment can’t.

“This sets me apart from the other guys so I can ask a fair price for my work,” he explains.

Colomba, Windsor, Ont., looks beyond the goal of just making money on a job. “I get more satisfaction from being able to help people who appreciate the quality of work I do rather than making a buck on something,” he says. “Once you spend a dollar, it’s gone. But if you can help someone solve a problem, they’ll tell other people and that can pay off for a long time to come. That gives me great satisfaction.”

That’s where his loader and excavator play a role. “Those key machines allow me to gain the kind of customers I want and to do the type of work they appreciate,” he says.

Bobcat System

Wanted To Do Things Differently

Colomba started his business with a new Bobcat 753 loader, which now has about 4,000 hours on the meter. “Other contractors had tractor-loader-ackhoes,” he says. “I wanted to do things differently with less competition.” The size of his loader provides a critical advantage on many jobs where every inch of space counts.

The 331E excavator, which features a hydraulically-adjustable dipper that extends the reach to 18 ft. and digging depth to almost 13 ft., also helps separate Colomba from his competition.

“I can get into tight areas and then extend the dipper to grab that extra dirt and dig as deep as some bigger machines,” he says.

Colomba often transports his loader and excavator together on a trailer to a job where they work as a team. He uses his loader with several Bobcat attachments—smooth and a tooth bucket, pallet forks, hydraulic breaker, landscape rake and tiller.

Three Bobcat trenching buckets—13-, 24- and 36-in. widths—give him a wide choice of tools for his excavator.

“I work by myself about 90 percent of the time,” he says. “After finishing one job with the excavator, I can do something else with the loader. You don’t need both machines running at the same time to be efficient.

“For example, I can dig out a swimming pool with the excavator and then use the loader to haul dirt to the truck or to backfill, grade or clear the work area.”

“My Bobcat equipment allows me to pick and choose my jobs,” Colomba concludes. “I’m glad to be in that position and not struggling to take every job just to make payments.”