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Developing a market niche
Fifteen years ago, Watertown, WI-based Midland Contracting started to fill a niche in the local market for silt fence installation. It steadily grew to 20 employees in the field performing commercial landscaping for highway and subdivision projects, silt fence installation and erosion control.

Instead of targeting the cut-throat residential business, Midland Contracting works directly with general contractors. "We don't do any residential work at all," says Cory Voigt, general manager/co-owner. "We tend toward grading and sewer contractors."

Midland's fleet consists of two Bobcat T190 and three Bobcat T200 compact track loaders and one New Holland LS190 skid-steer loader. In addition, it has five New Holland four-wheel-drive compact tractors (two 80 hp, two 70 hp and one 55 hp), which are used for installing erosion mats, raking and seeding. Attachments include a Glenmac Harley Rake, a York rake and a mulcher.

The primary function of the track loaders is grading and spreading topsoil, as well as silt fence installation. "We have trenchers that we hook up to the loaders that we use for installing silt fence," says Voigt.

Other attachments include a rock bucket, a tree shear and grapple, forks and six-way dozer blades. "We mostly switch between buckets and blades," says Voigt.