Jobs that used to take Amon Vanderlinden and his crews two days now just take one, all because of a “mini” machine.
Vanderlinden, owner of One Life Tree Service in Lincoln, Nebraska, purchased a Vermeer S925TX mini skid steer in 2017 after working with other Vermeer products in the preceding months. While he said he wasn’t a “Vermeer guy” to begin with, the buildup of his Vermeer equipment — from a Vermeer BC1000XL brush chipper to the S925TX mini skid steer — came after seeing the efficiency they helped create for the Washington state native’s business.
Finally making the purchase
“I had my eye on the BC1800XL brush chipper, and I bought that, then within two weeks, bought the S925TX mini skid steer,” Vanderlinden said. “I’ve been really happy with Vermeer. The way these machines are built is really good.”
The vast majority of Vanderlinden’s work is done within the city of Lincoln and surrounding suburban areas. That means a lot of fenced and gated yards, making the narrow width of the S925TX mini skid steer one of its strengths for his business.
“The fact it can fit through a 36-inch (91.4 cm) gate to get into a backyard is huge,” Vanderlinden said. “It’s agile, can get into tight spaces where we need to go, and the speed is really good.”
But, with a rated operating capacity of 925 lbs (419.6 kg), the might of the S925TX mini skid steer is the feature that sticks out most to Vanderlinden. “This thing can pick up close to 1,000 pounds — the payload is amazing. It’s really good for bigger chunks of wood or branches,” he added.
Better features
Other features Vanderlinden said put the S925TX mini skid steer head-and-shoulders above similar machines include:
- Payload height capacity: Being able to raise a heavy load to truck bed level means less time and energy loading cut branches and trunks.
- Weight balance: Weights mounted to the back of the machine help make it more balanced and allow it to move heavy loads.
- Intuitive controls: A single joystick makes it “super easy to maneuver,” said Vanderlinden, who adds this is one of his favorite features of the S925TX mini skid steer.
Small but mighty
The small but mighty machine moves heavy loads with a high level of agility. Those capabilities help Vanderlinden operate more efficiently, both in terms of the time to finish jobs and the labor required to do so.
“We get through job cleanups way quicker. It has probably cut our work time and labor by 50 percent to 60 percent,” he said. “Things that would take us two days before now just take one day.”
The benefits of the S925TX mini skid steer don’t stop there. The productivity and efficiency of the machine helps Vanderlinden get more done.
“In the spring and summer, we have more jobs than we can handle, so the S925TX mini skid steer is going to enable us to tackle even more. I’ve already seen a difference in productivity now during our ‘slow season,’” he said. “Right before Christmas, we removed a 90-foot oak tree. We were able to cut it into slabs weighing close to 1,000 pounds, pick them up and put them in the truck without sawing as much. That machine cut down at least a day of work. A day on a four-day job translates to a lot of payroll savings. The savings on that one job alone means it’s already paid for itself for the next three months.”
Learn more about the full lineup of Vermeer mini skid steers.
This article contains third-party observations, advice or experiences that do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vermeer Corporation, its affiliates or its dealers. Testimonials and/or endorsements by customers in specific circumstances may not be representative of normal circumstances experienced by all customers.
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