Caterpillar is one of the foremost brands in heavy equipment. Since its humble beginnings in the early 1900s, Caterpillar has created thousands of models of machines covering nearly every area of the heavy equipment industry. Don't let the strange name bug you, Caterpillar originated from steam engine technology with added tracks that made it look like a Caterpillars. In the 1960's CAT combined the original technology of some Minnesota turkey farmers to develop what eventually turned into today's modern skid steer. It's trusted name comes from many years of high quality products. Some well maintained Caterpillar skid steers have been known to run just under 12,000 hours of intense usage.
The dynamic abilities of the Caterpillar skid steers that are available make the undertaking of thorough research a necessary component of the buying process. Many buyers consider whether a skid steer or front loader is their best option for their job site. This debate largely rests on the questions of power versus maneuverability. With each machine able to be equipped with an assortment of attachments they often can accomplish the same tasks but in different styles. While a front loader or back-hoe undoubtedly possesses greater torque, force, and reach, they are far larger and difficult to maneuver or transport. On the other hand, Caterpillar skid steers are able to literally turn on a dime with their pivoting turn style as well as load up and be transported on relatively small trailers. While their size takes away from their power, they can be much more efficient moving from task-to-task than a bulky front loader.
Caterpillars skid steers and as one of the most popular skid steers in North America with well over 40 models circulating the used and new equipment markets. While Caterpillar (sometimes referred to as CAT) has a wide array of skid steers with different power, speed, and maneuvering capabilities, one of their biggest strengths is in their diversity of attachments. Most commonly thought of as primarily a bucketed vehicle, the Caterpillar skid steers actually feature more than 20 different attachments that connect to their arms. In the Northern United States and Canada, tracked Caterpillar skid steers can be seen on the snowy and icy roads with snow pushes or snow plows as attachments clearing the way for traffic. Additionally, a small back-hoe attachment, complete with descending legs for stability, can be added to the arms of the CAT skid steer. The dynamic range for the skid steer family certainly comes from its ability to provide the functionality of that almost any heavy machine can, but in a more compact and maneuverable form.
With technology expanding exponentially around the world it is no surprise that the heavy equipment industries advancements are happening faster than ever. To help operators and construction managers alike stay on top of new developments, Caterpillar makes sure their brand is one of the prominent displays at every CONEXPO-cON/aGG. This is an event that takes place every three years in Las Vegas Nevada. In 2017 Caterpillar secured 60,000 square feet of exhibit area for attendees to look at new products, like their skid steers. Caterpillar also invites attendees to sit in their displayed skid steers and talk to their knowledgable representatives about their groundbreaking collection. The next CONEXPO-cON/aGG will take
place March 10-14, 2020 featuring over 150 educational sessions and endless networking opportunities.
Individuals or businesses looking to buy Caterpillar skid steers may want to look closer at the used heavy equipment market before purchasing. Along with the advancements in heavy machinery, new developments in the used market have evolved over the years. For example, in order to simplify the buying process, Mascus created a searchable database online where potential buyers congregate to view what machines are available from around the world. With nearly 400,000 items currently on the site many sellers are seeing the benefit and advertising their items, such as used CAT skid steers, on the site. This is an easily accomplished task with mascus.com only requiring
sellers to go through a brief registration.