The compact excavator market is busy. Landscaping and residential building are growing markets. Approximately 30 percent of compact excavators in North America end up in rental fleets. We believe rental will be up considerably given the catch-up needed to replace aging fleets.
Both basic and high-tech units are required in these markets. compact excavator ending up on rental lots are usually simple, no-frills units built for longevity and ROI. At the same time, contractors are demanding more comfort and sophistication, so manufacturers and aftermarket OEMs are now outfitting mini excavators for higher dimensions of operation — machine control, electric propulsion, tiltrotators, telematics, luxury cabs, wheels and beyond.
Specifications and Popular Size Classes
First off, compact excavators and mini excavators are the same thing, and I’ll use those terms interchangeably throughout this article. Compact excavators continue to increase in popularity for a variety of reasons that include size (nimble, easy to transport), versatility (attachments, angle blades) and excellent reach (some units even offer extended booms). Applications range from digging basements and trenching service lines to augering holes for trees and grappling big rocks for landscape projects.
We consider excavators under 10 tons to be compact. For some basic definers overall, compact excavators have dig depths between 5 and 20+ ft, cabs or ROPS oper
The smaller sized machines fit well into tight or confined applications where manual labor had been used in the past. Larger machines in the compact excavator class provide more digging and lifting performance when needed. Those rental operations that focus on homeowner and short-term rentals tend to utilize smaller compact excavators. When working with construction contractors and long-term rentals, larger machines provide the best ROI.
Specs and project figures are important data to narrow down a search. Most applications for compact excavators are project-based, so what are the dig depth, lift height and lift capacity parameters of the job? What are the installation specs of the product — drainage pipe, tree transplants, coffins? Also determine the amount of material you are going to be moving and the time frame you need to move it in. Then, match those measurements to a machine by determining the capability of the machine. Popular mini ex specs include operating weight, dig depth, bucket breakout/digging force, maximum reach and hydraulic flow and pressure.
Each model has different key specifications to consider when it comes to operating weight, dig depth, lift capacity and attachments. Operating weight is important for ease of transportation. Consider a model that’s operating weight is large enough to handle the work you typically do and is most easily transported between jobsites given the truck and trailer equipment in your fleet.
Attachments and Hydraulic Power
The attachment versatility has become incredibly popular. Along with buckets, our breakers, grapples and mowers are popular choices for a variety of specialized sitework for construction, land clearing and landscaping.
Like I said, each attachment will be its own research project, and there are a lot of implement options for compact excavators, including thumbs, augers, trenchers, grapples, rippers, plate compactors and mowers. The category of buckets alone will have loads of options from ditching and grading buckets to cemetery and skeleton buckets.
Attachments have definitely been a driving factor in the mini excavator market as a way to maximize versatility on the jobsite. We are seeing increasing demand for greater flow and pressure on hydraulic systems in mini excavators. When it comes to compact equipment like mini excavators, operators are looking for maximum power and efficiency in a small package.
Machines today have increased capabilities to handle and effectively multi-function with heavier and more productive tools.
