Part-Time Asphalt Milling Service Becomes Full-Time Business

Jay Williams

Six years ago, after selling his concrete construction business and trying out retirement, Jay Williams, Peoria, Ill., purchased a Bobcat® skid-steer loader. The idea was to use it around his farm where he boards horses and raises quarterhorses, and start a part-time business to provide milling services for paving contractors.

He's still using his Bobcat loader on his farm cleaning out stalls, loading bales of hay and replacing water lines. However, his business didn't work out as originally planned.

"I wanted to work just a few days a week," Williams says. "But now it's become more than a full-time business. During the construction season, I'm working 12 to 14 hours a day, six to seven days a week."

That growth in his business reflects both his construction expertise and the performance and reliability of his Bobcat equipment.

Williams owns an S250 skid-steer loader with high-flow hydraulics and four Bobcat attachments: an angle broom, smooth bucket, planer and sweeper. He does milling and cleanup work on asphalt roads and parking lot construction as well as repair projects for a large bituminous contractor. His S250 also gives him the lift height and reach for loading large trucks and trailers.

Williams lists some of the ways his Bobcat equipment has helped his business grow:

Versatility.
In addition to his own attachments, he swaps attachments with several of his friends who use other Bobcat attachments in their construction companies. "I wouldn't be in business without a wide choice of attachments," Williams explains. "They make the skid-steer loader so versatile. Customers know they can call me for just about any job they may have, such as drilling holes for guard rail posts, digging trenches for a utility line, or finishing grading a site, and I can do it."

Comfortable operation.
Williams equipped his S250 with an enclosed, heated and air conditioned cab and suspension seat. "I'm getting older and it's nice to be clean and comfortable when working," he says. Such comfort also helps keep him productive.

Rugged equipment.
As Williams has learned, rugged Bobcat equipment is built to stand up to the rigors of construction work. "Unlike contractors I work with, and those who use different brands of skid-steer loaders, I can depend on my Bobcat equipment to keep working. I've never had a major breakdown."

Supportive dealer.
The dependability of Williams' Bobcat equipment is backed up by his dealer, Bobcat of Peoria. "You can't beat them for service," he says. "If I have a problem with a machine, they'll bring out another one for me to use until mine is repaired. They've even taken my angle broom to their shop at night to replace bristles so that I wouldn't miss any work the next day."