Compact Track Loaders Power Growth of Landscaping Business

Michael Hatcher says the T300 compact track loaders have improved profits

Five years ago, Michael Hatcher and Associates, a Memphis, Tenn., firm that designs, builds and maintains residential and commercial landscape projects, switched from another brand of skid-steer loader to a Bobcat® compact track loader. Today the company owns three T300 models and business has never been better, reports owner Michael Hatcher.

"There's been a tremendous growth in our market in the past few years and our T300s have provided the power to take advantage of that situation by allowing us to do bigger projects," he says. "They're real brutes and handle our jobs more efficiently than any other machine we've found. They've improved our profits."

The machines' impressive lifting power allows his crews to move bigger trees and boulders while making it easy to unload and transport pallets of sod and pavers. At the same time, the rugged rubber tracked undercarriage provides the traction and flotation to save time and labor on more challenging jobsites.

Among the other profit-making features of the company's Bobcat equipment:

Versatile performance. Hatcher's crews can choose from their fleet of nine different Bobcat attachments to handle a wide range of jobs that include cutting swales with the six-way dozer blade, leveling with the landplane or landscape rake, and moving trees with the tree spade. Optional high-flow hydraulics on each of the T300s improves performance of such hydraulically-driven attachments as the auger and trencher.

Less site damage. "We work on both hard and soft surfaces," Hatcher explains. "The T300s don't scar new asphalt when turning, leave ruts when working on soft ground or tear up turf when working in yards. That reduces the cost of repairing any damage."

Fast travel speed. With a top speed of nearly 7 mph the T300s add to profits by saving valuable time on long-haul jobs such as carrying rock to protect drainage pipe outflow areas or filling gabion (wire) baskets.

Reliable operation. The dependable performance of the T300s minimizes costly downtime to keep crews productive and on schedule. "If a machine's not tough, we don't keep it," Hatcher says.

A supportive dealer. Hatcher's Bobcat dealer, Williams Equipment, also helps his business grow by responding promptly to any service or repair needs. "If we need parts, our dealer will have them shipped in overnight to prevent downtime the next day," he says.