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When Joe Contractor needs a dedicated digging machine, he turns to an excavator. It’s a tool devoted to putting precise holes in the ground. Joe can jump in the cab, grab two joysticks and start digging just about anything with his boom and bucket — utility trenches, pools, housing foundations, drainage ditches, ponds and every other thing that needs to go in or under the earth.

Excavators are the ultimate digging tools, and compact excavators are the ultimate digging tools when it comes to urban areas and confined jobsite applications. Compact excavators (also called mini excavators) are defined as excavators under 6 metric tons. These are small excavation machines, engineered with an undercarriage and tracks, a long digging arm and a cab or ROPS enclosure. Typically with a dig depth between 5 and 20 ft and an operating weight between 2,000 and 20,000 lbs, compact excavators can fit into cramped worksites and still give big dig power.

These mini excavators began to catch the attention of contractors and manufacturers in the early 1990s.

Soon major equipment companies were invading the market with machines — Bobcat, Caterpillar, Yanmar, Volvo, Ditch Witch, Vermeer, John Deere, Komatsu, Kubota and more. As urban areas grow and the housing industry continues to explode, excavation work in tight jobsites has been increasing. With a small size, long reach and light footprint, contractors are turning more and more to mini excavators.

The proof is in the numbers: Compact excavators had a record year in North America in 2003 with approximately 14,000 units sold. In 2004, compact excavator sales in the United States jumped up to approximately 21,700 units, and in 2005 that number is expected to be approximately 24,000 units, according to the manufacturers CE surveyed.

“The 3.5- to 4-ton class will continue to drive the compact hydraulic excavator market,” says David Caldwell, product specialist of compact hydraulic excavators with Komatsu. “Prices for Komatsu compact excavators in this range go from $19,500 to $95,000. Also, conventional style compact excavators continue to lose share to the minimum and zero tailswing designs.”

Zero tailswing or ZTS continues to be a hot feature (excavators that are designed to keep their cabs within the width of their tracks). Estimates from manufacturers conclude that zero tailswing compact excavators are eating up between 15 and 20 percent of the U.S. market. Next year, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) will breakout ZTS from conventional tailswing machines. ZTS appears to be increasing in popularity, particularly in the 3- to 5-ton class — especially as manufacturers strive to minimize compromises relative to conventional machines (serviceability, operator space, lift capacity, etc.).

Overall, the industry is primed for growth. More than 20 manufacturers are either making or branding compact excavators today. With so many models and manufacturers, contractors can often feel a little overwhelmed when shopping around for a new machine. Knowledge is the key when considering any big purchase, so CE decided to collect as much information about each mini excavator product line as it could. The result is on the next 15 pages — a comprehensive rundown of 12 manufacturers in the compact excavator industry. Specifications, prices, product summaries and advice to buyers are all included for each manufacturer. We suggest you get to know each of these companies and their products before you put your crews in their new mini excavator.

Keith Gribbins is managing editor of Compact Equipment.
Bradley Kramer is an editorial assistant of Compact Equipment.

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