How to Expand Your Business With Construction Equipment Attachments

If you’re thinking about ways to expand your business, here’s a piece of advice from experienced Bobcat equipment owners: It takes the right construction attachments.

If your company has invested in a skid-steer or compact track loader, then you’re already strategically positioned to expand your operation. A well-paired attachment and loader can improve your versatility, create more project control, delay the purchase of a dedicated piece of equipment and – more importantly – open up your business to new revenue sources.
Construction attachments can allow you to maximize existing machine assets for more than one purpose in a wide variety of applications.

Adding skid-steer attachments to expand your business

One successful business expansion strategy you could try is shifting away from offering specialized services. Adding well-chosen attachments to expand your skid-steer  capabilities allows you to compete for work in a variety of applications. For instance, an additional attachment or two could allow you to complete a key task that was previously subcontracted. An attachment can give you the ability to do work that may be scheduled one or two weeks before or after your standard part of the project.

Popular construction attachments

While augers and hydraulic breakers are two of the most highly demanded construction attachments, some manufacturers offer a large number of  skid-steer attachments that can create distinct advantages in today’s competitive market.

A utility contracting firm with a skid-steer or compact track loader likely already owns a trencher attachment and may complement its fleet with a planer, hydraulic breaker or wheel saw to assist with installations through concrete or asphalt.

An asphalt paving contractor that focuses on the installation of streets, highways, bridge approaches and parking lots can complement its planer and wheel saw attachments with cleanup tools. An angle broom is a handy attachment that can windrow millings in one direction so the material can either be picked up with a bucket or removed by a sweeper attachment.

Should you buy new equipment or a new attachment?

When determining whether you should take on new work, consider that attachments can provide more versatility and profitability for the dollar compared to other equipment acquisitions. With some manufacturers’ attachments, compatibility extends across loader lines for greater efficiencies and economies of scale. Some have also been designed to vertically integrate with the machine’s electronics and hydraulics. While each type of compact loader has its own set of performance benefits in certain conditions, certain of today’s skid-steer attachments are interchangeable to provide flexibility and convenience for an equipment fleet that needs to be adaptable to multiple jobsites.

To exchange a bucket with a pallet fork, landscape rake, auger, grapple and more on a skid-steer loader, most machines offer easy-to-use quick-tach systems. Some manufacturers even offer an option that allows loader operators to make non-hydraulic and hydraulic attachment changes without leaving the cab.

If you’re unsure about purchasing an attachment, visit with your local dealership about renting. Once you’ve had a chance to use the attachment, you might find that purchasing it is a wise decision to help grow your revenue. Be sure to work with the dealer’s rental department to confirm the proper model for your size of compact loader.

With the ability to tailor your capital investments to secure a greater share of construction work, attachments can empower even the most conservative entrepreneurs to explore new revenue sources. That makes good financial sense in any competitive market.

Want to test an attachment on a job before committing to a purchase? Check out this article on the best Bobcat attachments to rent.