With the future coming fast experts share what’s in store for compact equipment

Experts say the future of compact equipment will bring more ways for contractors to increase efficiency in the face of labor concerns. (Photo: hhphoto.com)

The compact equipment market has exploded in the past decade. Machines that didn’t exist just a short time ago now help design/build contractors sleep better at night — quite literally in some cases.

“Five or 10 years ago, someone may have been doing these jobs with a shovel and a wheelbarrow,” says Brady Lewis, North American product manager for emerging products and technology at Case. “Now, you have small articulated loaders that have taken some of these jobs out of contractors’ hands.”

Now after that decade-plus of innovation, landscape pros ask what’s next?

“We’re on the edge of what some of this technology is going to really bring us,” says Lewis. “When I start to think about what the industry will look like 10 years from now, it is going to be pretty different from what we are looking at these days.”

LM spoke with equipment manufacturers about what to expect as the industry pushes ahead into another period of innovation.

It’s electric

Compact equipment manufacturers say grade control technologies give professionals an added layer of precision while on the job site. (Photo: John Deere)

Battery-powered solutions aren’t a new idea for compact equipment manufacturers. The electrification of machines has grown alongside the demand for compact equipment in recent years.

“People are more concerned with sustainability and environmental impact than ever before, and this industry is working hard to answer those concerns,” says David Caldwell, product manager at Takeuchi.

The results of those efforts are already hitting the trade show floor. Manufacturers such as Takeuchi, John Deere and Bobcat showcased their latest entries into the battery-powered equipment ring at ConExpo-Con/Agg — in 2023.

Luke Gribble, solutions marketing manager for Deere, says the company introduced its first fully battery-powered option at the show, the 244 X-Tier compact wheel loader.

Gribble says the company has received plenty of feedback since unveiling the 244 at ConExpo in Las Vegas — both from customers interested in switching to battery power and those who’d rather stick with gasoline-powered machinery.

“The industry knows these solutions aren’t for everybody,” he adds. “We’re continuing to look at diesel solutions. Where it makes sense, we will offer those electric options. But it won’t be one or the other.”

Brant Kukuk, product manager at Ditch Witch, adds that in some states — notably California, which has already shown a willingness to ban gas-powered landscape equipment — contractors might not have a choice.

“Regulations will drive that (switch) in some cases,” he says. “The machines out there right now that are electrified are more than capable while they’re running. But, there are some concerns involved when it comes to run time and affordability, in the minds of customers.”

Heads up!

If you want to get an idea of what advancements might be on their way to the world of compact equipment, look no further than larger equipment available from these manufacturers.

Gribble says several technologies, including smart grade capabilities, vision and detection systems gravitate toward compact equipment and will continue to do so.

“Whether it’s a compact loader or a skid-steer, contractors want the same benefits they’d get from a larger machine because many use it as their main production tool,” he says.

Gribble adds that the company recently introduced a new vision system on its skid-steers and compact track loaders, which offers bird’s-eye views of an operator’s surroundings. It’s similar to something found in the company’s larger construction equipment.

John Deere also recently introduced a new smart detection feature for its larger utility loaders. It could pave the way for autonomous operation in the future, Gribble says.

“On our larger utility loaders, we can now provide operators with alerts when both people and objects are behind the machine,” Gribble says. “We’ll look for opportunities to add detection and vision systems to compact equipment because we hear more and more that if it can help avoid damage to the machine, it’s a plus.”

A new dimension

Some technologies offer contractors more real-time data than they’ve ever had available before, says Luke Hill, excavator product specialist with Bobcat.

“Our Depth Check system gives the user a vital extra piece of information that says, ‘you’re close to your (excavation) depth,’ or ‘you’re at the correct depth,’” he says. “Customers have started to overcome the technological fear they may have experienced as they’ve got their hands on these technologies.”

Hill adds that indicate technologies, like Depth Check, have been game-changers for contractors and will continue to be in the future.

He says, with the addition of machine control and semi-autonomous operation, contractors will be able to get the job done quicker and have confidence it’s done correctly.

Other technologies aimed at making the job easier include 3D control, Gribble says. Although he notes that the industry is still in an early phase with grade control solutions.

“It was introduced to the market within the last two to three years, and it’s taking off,” he says.

Outside influences

While electrification of compact equipment is still a work in progress, equipment manufacturers say the technology is rapidly improving. (Photo: Case)

Case’s Lewis says larger equipment isn’t the only place where the industry gets ideas for innovation.

“We’re leveraging a lot of technology from the automotive world,” he says. “That’s where the technology is really getting better and better exponentially. We’re still in those beginning stages (in this industry). But we’re starting to see an upward trend in terms of power and affordability.”

It’s not difficult to remember when Tesla broke the mold with an all-electric vehicle, Lewis adds, but take one look around a car dealership now and you will notice an electric option from almost every single manufacturer.

That is thanks to the continued research and development put into batteries by the automotive industry. Soon, the green industry will reap the benefits.

“The cost in dollars per kilowatt has come down drastically and will continue to do so,” he says. “The battery itself is getting cheaper and more capable. Now, we’re starting to be able to offer run times that will fit into what a customer needs for some of the more involved applications.”

Full tilt with attachments

Tiltrotators bring a new element to machines such as compact excavators, allowing for added versatility and control, experts say. (Photo: Takeuchi)

Compact machines themselves aren’t the only tools to get major upgrades. Luke Hill, excavator product specialist with Bobcat, says the attachment space has seen its fair share of innovation.

“Tiltrotators have exploded in North America over the past few years,” he says. “(Professionals) are seeing the benefits of this tool on their larger equipment in terms of unlocking what your compact excavator can do.”

Tiltrotators — which function as a wrist between the quick coupler and the tool — add versatility to a compact excavator and, in some cases, can consolidate several jobs that might have required the use of multiple machines and employees.

David Caldwell, national product manager for Takeuchi, says some popular attachments used in conjunction with tiltrotators include couplers, grip modules, clamshell buckets, grapples, leveling beams, augers and trenchers.

“Tiltrotators are also great for picking up and placing stone or other aggregates for hardscapes and cleaning up brush,” Caldwell adds.

A tiltrotator also adds the ability to work in confined spaces with a compact excavator because of its ability to tilt and rotate the attachment, Caldwell says. The add-on can help contractors save time as well, as with fewer machines on a job site, there could be less ground disturbance.

“While tiltrotators are an investment, they’re an add-on to compact excavators, so they don’t necessarily increase the cost of the equipment itself,” says Caldwell. “There’s a learning curve with tiltrotators, so adding one to a compact excavator will extend ‘training time’ to some degree, but not enough that it should deter someone from purchasing and using one.”

It is what you make it

As compact equipment continues to evolve, manufacturers say continued education and training is key to stay ahead of the game. (Photo: Bobcat)

All of these technologies, Lewis says, are not only there to make a contractor’s job easier but can also help with ongoing problems they face on the labor front.

“Labor challenges aren’t getting any better,” he says. “Because of that, you’re going to see technology that tries to help fill that gap for customers. We don’t know what that next technology might be. That’s something that a lot of the smart minds in the industry are working on.”

Machine control and semi-automation will evolve further to meet those needs, Lewis says.

“Maybe the employee you’re able to hire doesn’t have the experience of someone who has been using the machine for 20 years,” he says. “That technology, in some ways, could help contractors get these employees to do the job that the experienced operator could do because machine assistance can help close that (knowledge) gap.”

At the end of the day, what contractors want will ultimately drive where the industry moves, Kukuk adds.

“If it’s something you’ve heard from 50-plus people, you’ve got to weigh that opinion,” he says. “There are a lot of opinions and you’ve got to make sure that what you move forward with matches what the majority of your base is asking for.”

He adds that there’s a lot of research done based on those opinions to confirm that it’s viable, reliable and efficient.

Electrification will certainly be a part of the industry’s future thanks to increased regulation.

“I had a customer tell me they had won a contract because the client required electric equipment,” says Katie Gall, product development specialist for Bobcat. “So, we want to make sure that we have (electric equipment) readily available for contractors, whether they’re renting or purchasing.”

Like Deere and Bobcat, Takeuchi introduced its first battery-operated compact excavator, the TB20e, at ConExpo. Caldwell tells LM the feedback the company has received tells him all he needs to know about the future of the technology.

“That tells me that the demand for these cleaner, quieter machines is flourishing and unlikely to slow down anytime soon,” he says. “We plan on developing more machines that operate on alternative power in the years ahead as part of our (environmental, social and governance) goals and, also, simply because the demand for them obviously exists.”