Construction News - Compact Heavyweights Competing for the Top Spot in Australia’s Excavator Hire Market

Within the realm of the small excavator hire market segment, the competition is undoubtedly intense between manufacturers for excavators that fall below the 30 tonne mark. The competition within the rental market between manufacturers is especially intense within the sub-segment mini excavator category. 

This is due to the high frequency of rentals of this excavator category due to the practicality of assigning compact excavators for projects in congested environments or projects that offer very little space to work within. Hyundai, Takeuchi, JCB, Kubota, Komatsu, Bobcat and Case are among the top contenders within the mini excavator category. This article examines the Bobcat E17z compact excavator and the CASE CX17D excavator, both of which belong to the small excavator category. 

Bobcat E17z

Among the primary reason as to why the Bobcat E17z is popular within the excavator rental market sphere is due to the machine’s Zero Tail Swing design which renders the machine as being perfect for performing tasks in spaces that are confined. According to contractors, the E17z offers the perfect balance between performance, size and operator comfort which are critical factors towards enhancing the efficiency of projects. 

Furthermore, the E17z is also compact enough to be easily transported from site to site. The key features of the EZ17z apart from the Zero Tail Swing include the design of the machine which enables the machine to rotate 320 degrees without exceeding the machine’s own footprint. This feature in essence eliminates the possibility of collisions when the excavator is operating operation close to walls or other obstacles. 

The digging depth of the E17 is approximately 2.23 meters and offers a breakout force of around 11920N. The E17z is capable of accommodating a range of hydraulic attachments which expands the machine’s versatility significantly. Maintenance of the E17 has been well thought by Bobcat due to the maintenance points that are easily accessible. 

Case CX17D

In response to Bobcat’s EZ17, case presented the CX17 at a recent expo. The mini excavator weighing at also about 1.7 tonnes and quite popular within the excavator for hire market has a track width of 230 mm rendering the machine ideal for urban projects that offers too little space for larger excavators to be effective or efficient. 

Similar to the Bobcat, this model also offers auxiliary hydraulics, joystick controls, and enhanced cooling systems that reduce maintenance costs. The fuel-efficient engine of the CX17 coupled with low emission and low noise makes the CX17 perfect for home improvement projects or landscaping projects that are close to residences. 

The EZ17 is undoubtedly a benchmark excavator within its category and it is expected to pave the way for future models to follow suit based on the acceptance of the excavator rental market. 

The excavator for hire market is intensely competitive and construction equipment rental companies go head-to-head with the best heavy machines that they could offer to clients with value additional service to boot. 

This includes excavator drop-off and pick-up, consultancy, heavy discounts and the best excavators in the market.