Excavators are among the most essential heavy construction equipment that the entire construction industry is heavily reliant on. The machine which mainly consists of boom, stick and bucket all of which controlled from a rotating cab by an operator traditionally used for digging, moving earth and grading has evolved significantly over the past two decades.
The latest excavator models are capable of doing much more than just dig, lift and move earth, the new models may be used for just about anything, from clearing land, drilling, demolishing and even compacting earth. Surveys reveal that among all the equipment that are hired out, excavators are the most frequent dues to this particular machine’s versatility that allows contractors to perform a wide variety of tasks by taking a single excavator for hire.
Coupled with the fact that the latest generation of excavators come with a wide variety of state-of-the-art technological features, the need for experienced operators has also been mitigated effectively by these technologies among which include GPS, AI, and Load Assist. These technological features do not only make it easier for even the least experienced operators to perform complex tasks with ease, but they also enhance the safety of these machines and as well as the longevity of these machines.
Most construction companies involved directly with construction activities at project sites have restructured and streamlined their business models to only focus on their core business activity which is the construction work itself. As for heavy machinery such as cranes, skid steers, roller compactors or excavators, most of these companies take them for hire from construction equipment rental companies mainly to ease logistics and reduce cost as ownership costs for heavy machines in the long run have a negative impact on the ‘ROA’ (Return on Assets).
The reason behind the preference of construction companies to take excavators for hire in general is mainly due to the high cost of maintaining, storing and transporting these machines. By taking heavy machines such as excavators for hire, construction companies are able to maintain healthier cash flows as these machines come at a high price.
Apart from that, different projects may require different types of excavators and therefore, via rentals they are able to have a wide range of options to choose from. Most construction equipment rental companies in large cities such as Melbourne offer drop off and pick up services as value added services which eases logistics for construction companies.
The construction industry could be said to be dependent on a wide range of heavy machines mainly excavators that have been labelled by the entire industry as the ‘construction workhorses’. Without the introduction of excavators into the construction industry, things would indeed very different. A single excavator nowadays doubles as a bulldozer, compactor, driller, grader, land clearer and much more.
Excavators are not only applicable to large construction projects, the advent of mini excavators or midi excavators over the last decade or so has resulted in excavators being used for the smallest of projects, including home improvement projects and small-scale landscaping projects.
