Do Tier 4 Emissions Regulations Bring Value to Equipment Owners?

The additional cost is more of a concern to some than it is to others, Mastanduno says. "There's a large part of our population that just wants the cheapest machine, but if you're in New York, where you're required to use a DPF, those guys want the Tier 4 machines now."

Will increased complications for the end-users prompt more rental activity as Tier 4 changes progress? Manfredi says yes. "Five years ago, the amount of new machines going into rental was 35 percent of those produced. Now, it's up to 55 percent. You can't blame it all on Tier 4 -- there are tons of excuses for delaying purchases, but rental is definitely much more favored now than it was in the past."

Mastanduno recommends rental companies make the transition easier for themselves by getting a head start on training service technicians on how to work on Tier 4 machines. "The more you talk about it, the better off everyone will be," he says.

Some question whether all the resources invested in R&D for Tier 4 has resulted in any additional value for the customer. Giorgianni at JCB says it most definitely has because it forced the issue of machine redesign. "We didn't view this as just an engine issue," he says. "We wanted to improve the overall customer experience."

Allen at Genie agrees, noting, "We really leveraged Tier 4 as a reason to redesign. We were able to react to some issues customers had and improve efficiency to save them money."

Mastanduno adds that Tier 4 machines will bring value in the form of lower operating costs in the long run. "Customers can save with advanced diagnostics and other advancements. Overall, customers benefit, but it's critical that they understand the technology."