Landscaper Put S220 to Year-Round Test

Chuck Nessralla uses his S220 skid-steer loader to landscape around a new in-ground swimming pool.

Northern landscapers often supplement their incomes by using versatile Bobcat® compact loaders for snow removal. It's simple to convert a landscaping machine to a snow remover with a snowblower, snow blade or snow pusher attachment.

Snow removal is a regular part of Avon, Mass., landscaper Chuck Nessralla's business. Nessralla Landscaping and Irrigation utilizes its dependable Bobcat S220 skid-steer loader during snowy New England winters when the company is not able to do its core business. Nessralla says his landscaping company operates a sizeable snow removal business with his loader and snow blade attachment, maximizing his machine's efficiency and keeping a steady stream of income flowing.

Cab comforts keep operators happy

An enclosed cab with heat keeps Nessralla's operators warm, happy and working longer in the winter, and does double-duty in the summer with air conditioning. Nessralla says that when his company uses its soil conditioner attachment, the enclosed cab helps keep dust and debris out of the cab.

Chuck Nessralla

"With the air conditioning, the door is shut and the loader cab is dust-free," he says. "Even in 95-degree weather, we can continue grading and conditioning the soil and our operator never gets overly tired, working as many as 13 hours. My guys generally work about 70 hours a week."

Nessralla also requested additional insulation inside his S220's cab with the sound option, providing operators with another cab comfort. "You can barely hear the engine running when you're in the loader."

Backhoe sits while loaders dig

With the Bobcat loader's compact size, Nessralla says he leaves his loader backhoe sitting at his shop for nearly all of his landscaping jobs.

"I can do everything I need on my landscaping jobsites with a skid-steer loader and attachments," he says.

Because more and more of his jobs require a machine that can fit between homes and work in confined spaces, Nessralla says he prefers to use a smaller machine and has not sacrificed performance or quality using a compact loader instead of a loader backhoe. And with the optional two-speed transmission, Nessralla's crews can quickly move from one area of the jobsite to another, transporting landscaping materials efficiently.

Maximizing efficiency with attachments

Attachments are a regular part of Nessralla's business as he uses them daily, from digging holes for new trees and shrubs with an auger attachment, to trenching for irrigation systems with a backhoe attachment. His crews use several other attachments including the combination bucket, landscape rake, and tree spade.

"I have found it to be more cost effective-instead of having multiple machines-to use one loader with several attachments," he says. "There is very little manual labor needed because my jobs are nearly all done by the machines, from start to finish."

Since he got into the landscaping business in 1983, Nessralla has tried nearly every compact loader on the market, but prefers the Bobcat brand. He says the durability of his Bobcat loaders has been the key to his business success and that's why he continues to buy machines from Bobcat of Boston.

"I sold my Bobcat 863 skid-steer loader with 9,000 hours on it," he says. "I never had any problems with the machine and kept up with the scheduled preventive maintenance to keep it running smoothly."