One tough animal

15th August 2014 By: Creamer Media Reporter

One tough animal

The most recent equipment supplier to join the Goscor pack is Bobcat, the iconic provider of compact equipment for construction, rental, landscaping, agriculture, grounds maintenance, government, utility, industrial and mining markets.

The Bobcat range includes skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, telehandlers, compact excavators and a comprehensive range of job-matched attachments.

Famous for its ‘One Tough Animal’ brand slogan, Bobcat’s mission is to enable its customers to do their jobs more efficiently and more effectively. “We manufacture product that lives up to the slogan and we try to back this up with service and support that lives up to it too,” says Bobcat Equipment SA MD Les Lothian.

“We are completely service focused and try to do whatever it takes to meet the demanding and ever-changing needs of our customers.”

The world-renowned Bobcat brand, famous for its powerful Lynx-like logo, has indeed developed a reputation for dependability and rugged durability.

Testament to this is the fact that earlier this year Bobcat’s millionth loader rolled off the assembly line.
“Bobcat owners, operators, and employees throughout the world, celebrate this achievement, which has been generations in the making. At one million machines strong, Bobcat loaders are clearly an unstoppable force,” says Lothian.

On the question of being part of the Goscor group, Lothian says this has been a very positive move for Bobcat.

“For 30 years Goscor has been successfully dealing in the equipment market and much of its success is based on values that Bobcat has always regarded as sacrosanct.

These include the concept of ‘partnership’ –  long term, mutually beneficial relationships - with one’s employees, suppliers and, of course, customers. It also includes an obsession with service excellence and a belief that excellent product is just the starting point and that the real value for customers lies in one’s ability to support them with a consistently excellent, integrated backup service.”

Lothian adds that being part of the Imperial Group is a significant added bonus.

“The advantages of being part of one of the country’s most successful conglomerates are numerous and obvious and this will stand us in good stead for years to come.”

From a product perspective the Bobcat range is well-known by all in the relevant industries but there is none more iconic than the S130 skid-steer loader. This ‘mighty mouse’ Bobcat is just over 3 m long and less than 1 m wide and delivers power way beyond it small stature.

“In many ways the S130 is symbolic of what Bobcat is all about,” says Lothian. “It is compact, powerful, reliable and, importantly, it’s comfortable and easy to operate, which are hallmark features of all Bobcat products,” he says.

With respect to the future Lothian is confident. “South Africa’s current economic challenges will be overcome as more and more of the economic development mechanisms come to fruition and the construction sector, and other sectors that are important to our business, flourish,” he concludes.