Asphalt Contractor Thrives with S300 Skid-Steer Loader

Meredith Welch

Working on asphalt driveway projects that frequently offer little room for error calls for a machine that can perform in the tightest jobsite. That's why Meredith Welch, owner of Paving Solutions, relies on her Bobcat® S300 skid-steer loader to help her meet her daily-and sometimes demanding-deadlines.

"I like the Bobcat loader when we are working in tight areas because we are not damaging lawns," Welch says. "It's easy to maneuver. When you are in tight quarters, you need a machine that can turn on a dime. My machine can do that."

The Holbrook, Mass., based company specializes in replacing asphalt driveways for homeowners in the suburbs and towns south of Boston. Welch says 95 percent of driveways in the area are asphalt because concrete does not hold up well in the ever-changing climate of New England. She says asphalt is more practical and that's why she chose to concentrate in the removal and installation of new drive- ways. Her company also replaces asphalt roadways and parking lots.

Welch has been doing this kind of work for more than 13 years and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty. "I do everything-meet with the customer, go over what needs to happen on their job and write up a quote," Welch says. "I work with the crew and then I deal with the customer after the job." When the job is finished she gives a thorough explanation of how to care for the new driveway.

The S300 skid-steer loader owned by Paving Solutions works on a driveway removal project.

And Welch's customers appreciate her hands-on approach and the quality of her work. "Customers send you thank-you letters and they are so appreciative that you followed through, you showed up when you said you were going to show up and you did what you said you were going to do," Welch says.

With her crew of five employees, an S300, asphalt paver, truck and trailer, Welch has found success in the construction industry. Although she initially purchased a different skid-steer loader, she switched to the Bobcat brand. She appreciates the dependability and maneuverability of the Bobcat loader plus the machine's longevity and availability of parts from her local Bobcat dealer-Bobcat of Boston. "Bobcat loaders don't really lose their value," she says.

Welch's crew uses the loader to rip out old asphalt, tree stumps and other debris located below the asphalt driveways. Then, the crew uses the loader to spread processed gravel on the ground as a sub foundation. Welch says the processed gravel consists of old asphalt ground up and mixed with quarter-inch gravel and stone dust. Welch says her asphalt driveways typically have a 3-6 in. base with a 2 in. binder and a 1.5 in. top.

Welch especially likes the hydraulic Power Bob-TachTM mounting system feature on her S300, which enables the operator to change bucket attachments without leaving the cab. Welch also opted for the Selectable Joystick Controls (SJC), which enable her operators to choose the control pattern they prefer: "ISO" or "H" pattern. When the SJC switch is in the ISO position, the left joystick operates the drive function, and the right joystick controls the lift and tilt function. In the H pattern, the left joystick controls the left wheels and lift arm functions, while the right joystick controls the right wheels and the attachment tilt function.

Although you do not find many female business owners in the asphalt construction market, Welch says it can be challenging at times, but that fact has not negatively affected her business.

"I am a minority in the field," Welch says. "You don't see too many women in asphalt construction. Once people meet me and we go over the layout of their driveway, they learn that I have the knowledge and the skills to get the job done right."