Adam Shear’s Bobcat E10Z compact excavator is a small wonder.
If you’re considering making the move from hiring diggers to owning your very own then the experience of Adam Shear is instructive. A builder who has done his research, a manufacturer that supplies a high-class product, and a dealer that provides an excellent service have all combined to deliver a sound investment for the end user – and one that’s been paying off on site almost every day.
“We’re trying to grow as much as we can as a business and having the right machinery in place in order to improve our productivity is a part of that,” reveals the Lincolnshire-based owner of Shear Construction. “I looked at as many reviews as I could and the Bobcat E10Z always stood up very favourably,”
Adam Shear began his building career in the bricklaying trade, and now project manages the extensions, new builds and commercial jobs that the company that he founed and bears his name undertakes. Working across a sizeable chunk of the east of England, he is a Federation of Master Builders member and promises a quality finish for his clients.
Shear Construction has been trading for twelve years with the 38-year-old accruing a considerable knowledge of mini excavator brands in that time, and Adam believes his Bobcat is amongst the best. “We’ve been winning a lot of work from local authorities installing disability access ramps and the like,” explains Adam, “and that’s what originally motivated us to buy our own mini rather than continue renting. In truth we’ve found so many uses for it since, whether it’s digging footings for an extension, soakaways for drainage, or breaking up and laying driveways, that we really wouldn’t be without it now.”
“For a 1-tonne machine it’s got plenty of power and we’ve proved that ourselves by pulling tree roots up with it. We do some fencing from time to time and if you need to dig a conifer out doing it by hand is not much fun, but the E10Z will plough through it. At the same time, the smoothness of the controls does allow you to easily master finer grading work, and that’s important in some of our landscaping jobs. Overall, it’s a very responsive and versatile machine.”
Accessibility
Shear Construction are invariably working on tight sites and that makes a zero tailswing unit essential, signified by the z in this compact excavator’s product name. With the body of the machine aways remaining within the tracks, it means the operator can dig hard up against existing structures without risk of damaging the machine or the building.
That theme of accessibility is continued with a track that can be retracted to just 71cm, which means it will pass through standard doorways and garden gates. When maximum stability is required that track extends to 110cm. Armed with a machine that reaches the parts others can’t it saves Adam’s workforce hours of brutal and time–consuming manual labour and speeds up the build schedule into the bargain. “One thing I really like is the adjustable joystick controls,” he continues. “Being at the side the controls fall easily to hand and feel like they’re in a more natural position than some of the minis I previously operated where they’re in front of you.”
Adam is equally full of praise for AMS Bobcat, the Scunthorpe based dealer that delivered his new E10Z just two weeks from the initial order. “We secured a really affordable finance package through them and the service they provided has been excellent,” he enthuses. “They explained all the greasing points, the routine maintenance that’s required after a certain amount of hours, and have been at the end of a phone whenever I’ve needed them. I also looked into the depreciation levels before I committed to a purchase and the values do hold very well on Bobcat minis.”
Making a big impact
The E10Z has an operating weight – including the TOPS canopy and bucket – of 1,176kg, with a digging depth of 1.8m and maximum reach of 3.1m. It is powered by a Stage V Kubota D722-E4B engine. Adam easily transports the machine from site to site on an Ifor Williams trailer and can tow his Bobcat from either one of the two Ford Transits that are proudly liveried with the Shear Construction name, as well as the Vauxhall Vivaro that completes his three vehicle fleet.
All that outlay in vehicles and plant speaks of an ongoing commitment to improving his business, and exudes professionalism in front of new and existing clients. “Any investment in machinery is sizeable for a business like ours, but since we bought the Bobcat we haven’t stopped using it,” concludes Adam. For a small machine the E10z is making a big impact for Shear Construction.
For further information on the Bobcat E10z Mini Excavator visit https://www.bobcat.com/eu/en/equipment/mini-excavators
To find out more about Scunthorpe-based dealer, AMS Bobcat visit https://www.amsbobcat.com
More details on the high quality building project undertaken by Shear Construction can be found at https://www.facebook.com/adamshear30/
