ADD A LITTLE AND GAIN A LOT

The skidsteer loader's popularity depends on its attachments. There are skidsteer manufacturers boasting more than 40 attachments in their range. Few other machines rely on such a list for their day to day usefulness. From augers to backhoes and graders to sweepers, the list is quite comprehensive - and ingenious users are adding to it every day.

And there are lots of opportunities for small manufacturers to offer attachments designed to suit several machines.

The latest to enter the UK market is US-based Alitec which has bought the premises in Nottingham formerly occupied by Digtech. In the USA Alitec has had huge success selling both its own equipment and some manufactured by other companies. And most of it is based around the skidsteer market.

The new Nottingham premises which include a test area should mean that UK skidsteer users are able to benefit from Alitec's design expertise in coming up with purpose-built attachments.

Working in conjunction with Alitec is Attec International based in Dentergem, Belgium. Attec has pursued a similar path to Alitec but differs in that most of its attachments are manufactured by Belgium's largest Bobcat dealer. So there's no doubting the integrity of the engineering - if there's a query it's simple matter to check the attachment against the actual machine - so long as it's a Bobcat.

There's no doubting the popularity of the Attec range which runs to a 96-page catalogue. Not all of it is Attec-made with Lowe trenchers and augers being featured for instance.

Most of the skidsteer manufacturers use a quick attachment system designed specifically for their own machines. And many have come up with a name to make customers identify with a particular machine make. So, Bobcat has Bobtach; Gehl has Quick Tach and JCB has Quickhitch for its Robot models.

Not quite an attachment JCB's 'Citymaster' version of its Robot 165 incorporates a fully glazed cab, six-in- one bucket and AirBoss tyres. JCB believes that it has great potential for contractors working within the New Roads and Streets Works Act. Of course it has the inbuilt Quickhitch system anyway and is therefore very versatile into the bargain.

Intermat '94 saw Bobcat launch its latest attachment - the 1750S silenced hydraulic breaker. Bobcat says that, although it can provide up to 2,200 blows per minute at up to 175kJ per blow, it's around four times quieter than conventional breakers of similar power.