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H.M. Environmental, Mt. Clemmins, MI, is an environmental contractor performing underground storage tank removal, site remediation, exploratory excavating, site demolition and miscellaneous cleanups. Lifting performance helps drive its backhoe-loader choice, as well. The machines must be able to handle some of the underground storage tanks the company encounters.

Currently, H.M. Environmental owns two backhoe-loaders, including a JCB unit, as well as an excavator. Due to the diversity of its work, the company regularly rents equipment for larger jobs to minimize the amount of iron sitting in the yard.

H.M. Environmental counts on its backhoe-loaders to help it remain cost competitive by minimizing the use of larger equipment where possible. The rubber tires also reduce disturbance to the existing environment compared to steel track.

Varko Contracting and Excavating Inc. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, performs residential and commercial foundation work, excavation and backfilling and sidewalk and curb and gutter maintenance. Due to this wide range of projects, the company demands maximum versatility from its five John Deere 410 backhoe-loaders. "We utilize them completely — we use the whole machine," says Attila Varga, president.

To get optimum productivity, the contractor equips its 410s with extendible dippersticks, auxiliary hydraulics on the backhoe and ride control.