Equipment sales into these markets have
improved over the past couple of years, and I expect them to improve with improvement in the overall economy providing increased dis- posable income. — Jon Kuyers, Vermeer
We see that spending is down. Even cus-
tomers with budget approval prefer to hold the funds if possible. We see more and more that customers that usually did equipment purchases every five years, putting off replace- ments purchases for six, seven, even eight years. We think that there is a pent-up de- mand for machines, but, for the moment, cus- tomers are getting by with limping machines along as long as possible. — Paul Hollis, executive vice president, Redexim North America
Equipment sales appear to be trending
more toward homeowners and do-it-your- selfers.
— Mike Hale, sales manager, Little Beaver
Now more than ever, landscapers need equipment that helps them get more done with less. Contractors are having a very diffi- cult time raising prices, and their top line rev- enues and costs are rising rapidly, so they need equipment that helps them get more done with less — less fuel, less labor, less time. While this isn't anything new, advanced tech- nology coupled with smart, less-cluttered product design is making equipment not only faster for increased productivity, but more fuel-efficient and easier to use and maintain too.
— Pat Cappucci, president, Schiller Grounds Care, Inc.
As we see the economy recover, we are seeing a much stronger trend in sales of track loaders versus wheeled skid-steer loaders. This may be a result that as new equipment is being added to fleets, the owners want ma- chines that can provide the most flexibility in job applications and uptime, even in poor weather conditions. If you are going to buy one piece of machinery, make sure it can be highly utilized. — Todd Lynnes, product solutions manager - compact loaders, building construction products, Caterpillar Inc.
Companies are doing their homework and researching product investments much more
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