Equipment lineups get smaller, more efficient and job focussed every year. Compact machinery now represents a defined growth sector within the industry and marketing of features and benefits allows the landscape operator to almost custom design a machine to meet the needs of the job site. Here’s a lineup of some of the latest new equipment choices available in a hotly competitive marketplace.

Kubota’s ultra compact K008S excavator weighs in at just 1,910 lbs. (865 kg) and can go to work just about anywhere. The adjustable track frame can hydraulically retract from a full width of 34” to just 28”, allowing it to literally squeeze through a doorframe. Powered by a three-cylinder Kubota diesel engine, the K008S is ideal for trenching or demolition in tight corners.

John Deere’s 1600 Wide Area Mower offers a maximum cutting width of almost 11 ft. (128”), which lets you cover large areas efficiently and quickly. Its 51-hp diesel engine lets the operator mow at speeds of up to 8.6 mph. When it is finished its work, the side wings fold up for easy transportation to the next job site. Notice the roll-over protection system (ROPS) for safer operation.

Steiner Turf Equipment calls its 430 articulated tractor the Max because it carries so many special features. You can choose from air and liquid cooled engines ranging from 20 to 25 hp, plus a range of attachments that seems to go on and on — 35 different machinery pieces from aerators and augers, specialized mowers, snow blowers, stump cutters, trenchers and turbine blowers. Literally a mower for all seasons and all purposes.

Woods Equipment’s F-Series zero radius commercial-grade Mow’n Machine comes with four different engine sizings. It adjusts to the contours of the terrain and offers the kind of speed and maneuverability landscapers like. Drive trains are designed with commercial applications in mind. A flip-up hood provides easy access to the engine and transmission.

Echo’s Pro Attachment Series provides another example of the landscaper’s multi-purpose machine. Three basic power units, including one wheeled, attach to a complete range of tools. Included is the Echo ProSweep, ProThatch, Hedge Clipper, Power Pruner, Trimmer, Edger, Tiller/Cultivator, Articulating Hedge Clipper, Brushcutter and Rapid-Loader.

Stihl’s new MS 460 Magnum chainsaw has received a power upgrade, which allows for faster and superior cutting performance without any increase in weight. Sized right for the landscaper, this machine reflects the constant state of change in the equipment industry as machinery is matched to the needs of the job site.