Landscapers are a versatile group. Yes, most people associate them with work involving land and plants, but they also do hardscaping, irrigation installs, fencing and walls, tree work, snow removal and more.
It’s as if the compact utility loader was made for them. After all, the first word that comes to mind when talking about the machine, also known as a mini skid steer, is “versatility.”
“There are so many things that a mini skid steer can add to a landscape business,” says Jay Sunderman, commercial business manager for Tree Care, Rental and Landscape at Vermeer. “There are an increasing number of attachments developed for different applications, it can access most jobsites and it augments labor, which is a crucial issue in the landscape industry right now.”
Compact utility loaders have been present in the domestic market for more than a decade, but awareness is growing. In many ways, the machines are the future of the landscape industry.
“We’re going to see a lot more mini skid steers in the landscaping industry in the coming years,” says Matt Hutchinson, product manager for Tree Care, Rental and Landscape at Vermeer.
A major reason is a compact utility loader’s potential to ease labor issues. Landscaping is a physically demanding profession. This has made finding and retaining quality crew members arguably the biggest problem facing the industry at this time.
A compact utility loader offers solutions to both those issues. First, it is more productive and efficient than just about any person could hope to be. For instance, instead of having a crew member carry pavers by hand or with a wheelbarrow to a backyard, a compact utility loader can do that work faster and in fewer trips. Reducing the physical demands of a job can increase employee happiness, helping to recruit and retain employees.
“We want to help landscape business owners get more productivity out of their crews by giving them a tool to use like a mini skid steer,” Sunderman says. “As far as employee satisfaction goes, it’s less fatiguing on that employee to use a mini skid steer.”
- See more at: http://www.totallandscapecare.com/our-partners/vermeer/the-future-of-landscaping/#sthash.T4m3Rgdb.dpuf
