Two different Bobcat telehandler models are proving to be a perfect pair for Queensland business Katek Fertilizers
When a business has tried numerous brands of the same machine, then chooses to keep investing in a particular brand, the endorsement should be taken seriously.
Such is the story of Queensland fertiliser manufacturer Nathanael Ernst, whose venture into Bobcat telehandlers has yielded three separate purchases, with plans to invest further in the coming year.
Ernst first bought a 2020 model of Bobcat’s TL38.70HF telehandler, before adding a larger TL43.80HF to his fleet last year.
He has since traded in the original TL38.70HF for a newer version of the same model, providing strong evidence of Bobcat’s ongoing success with the business.
Ernst is the manager of Katek Fertilizers, a family-owned business based near Gympie which pelletises about 15,000 tonnes of chicken manure per year.
The vast majority of this heads to Queensland farms further north than its Gympie base, he says, while about a quarter is sent overseas to Vietnam.
Western Australia, Tasmania and the northern Victorian town of Shepparton are other important markets for Katek Fertilizers’ products.
The company also loads out about 3,500 tonnes per year of what Ernst calls ‘loose bulk’, which is pelletised product loaded into grain trucks and sent to sugar cane growers in Far North Queensland or to broadacre farms.
“We probably bring about 18,000 tonnes of manure in to make about 15,000 tonnes of pellets a year,” he says.
“That also involves moving about 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes of waste product back out to the farms – so the telehandlers do a lot.”
Trusted option
Dealing in such high volumes makes the efficiency of its machinery crucial, particularly when the company only has a small team of 11 people.
When the family bought Katek Fertilizers in 2008, they started with only two older telehandlers, before seeing the merits of maintaining a larger fleet.
“Because we were so reliant on them, when one broke down it was just a headache,” Ernst says.
“If rain was coming and you couldn’t push the manure off the pad, then you lose out.
“That’s basically why we ended up buying more machines, so if one did go down – because any machine can break – you’ve got a backup machine there to jump in and keep going.”
Maintaining consistency between machines was another benefit, Ernst discovered in time, a realisation which inspired him to stick with Bobcat for multiple purchases.
“Before we bought our first Bobcat, we always had a mismatch and bought either new machines based on what was good at the time or good second-hand gear from the auctions,” Ernst says.
“I’ve always been a big fan of using just one brand and, with all my machinery that I’ve ever bought, one of the things I’ve had to have is a good dealership that’s under an hour away.
“They’re on the Sunshine Coast so they’re about an hour away from us and the service is really good.”
Bobcat machinery – including the telehandlers – is distributed and serviced nationwide by Bobcat Australia, which is a division of Clark Equipment.
This means customers can be confident in the aftersales support from a company which has a strong footprint across the entire country.
Doing the job
Ernst would not have stuck with the Bobcat telehandlers if they were not meeting his daily needs for the factory, and if the different models did not work in harmony with each other to complete contrasting jobs.
The TL38.70HF is the smaller of the two telehandlers, providing a 7m lift height and 3,800kg lift capacity, and being powered by a 130hp (97kW) engine.
The engine size and auxiliary standard flow of 150L/min is identical on the TL43.80HF, however the larger model provides a 4,300kg lift capacity and 7.5m lift height, as well as weighing about 600kg more.
Ernst further highlights the hydrostatic gearboxes which the Bobcats offer – and particularly the TL38.70HF – as being “like little race cars”, describing this as one of the standout features compared to other brands he has used.
“That’s the main reason I bought the TL43.80HF about 12 months ago, because I didn’t like the gearbox elsewhere,” he says.
“It’s just fast and it’s good. It’s not quite as fuel efficient as a mechanical drive gearbox or power shift gearbox, but it has a lot more power and for what we do it’s just better.”
Having the two Bobcat telehandlers with differing lift capacities – and overall machine weight – means that Ernst can tailor their individual workloads.
Broadly speaking, the TL43.80HF’s slightly larger lift capacity and overall weight means it is used for more of the grunt work, whereas the “zippiness” of the TL38.70HF means it has found its place completing other important daily processes.
“For the TL38.70HF, its main job is making a mix, but to run the manure through the plant we’ve got to get the moisture level right,” Ernst says.
“Depending on what blend we’re running through the plant, it will get certain amounts of wet and dry chicken manure or composted chicken manure, mix it to the right mix and then other telehandlers will feed it through the plant.
“Its main job is mixing that, but we’ve also got a hectare pad and we lay the manure out about 100mm thick and then we turn it with a big tractor with a plough.
“Then, when it’s dry, we push it up and put it into the sheds so that when it rains we can still operate the plant.
“Our site is about 10 acres between composting pad and factory, so it’s also ideal for speeding us around.
“The operator on the TL38.70HF is my production manager and he just likes the zippiness. They’ve got the same engine, same gearbox and same diffs in but he just likes the manoeuvrability, slightly shorter wheelbase and it’s just better for him.”
When it comes to the larger TL43.80HF, the addition of a three cubic metre bucket means it can pick up about three tonnes of product at a time with ease, enabling trucks to be loaded quickly.
Growing appreciation
Ernst is steadfast about one thing – his next telehandler purchase will be a Bobcat.
The success of both models means the more difficult decision will be whether to purchase another TL38.70HF or a TL43.80HF.
“They complement each other well and that’s why we’re a bit unsure which size we’ll buy next,” he says.
“There’s nothing to make me think I wouldn’t buy another Bobcat, because there’s nothing I could buy that I think would come close.
“Everything has been thought out about where things are placed – the starter motors and alternators are all easy to get to, the ergonomics are good and the batter supports are good.”
Ernst was full of praise for the service received from Clark Equipment’s Sunshine Coast branch, also citing the efficiency of having multiple machines serviced at the same time by sticking with Bobcat.
“The more we get through them, it means rather than just servicing one, they can just look at all of them, which is always better,” he says.
“We’re very happy with the support of Bobcat on the Sunshine Coast, and unless something goes wrong, I won’t buy another brand of telehandler.”
Bobcat’s full telehandler range, along with other agricultural machinery such as tractors, mowers and utility vehicles, can be viewed at www.bobcatofaustralia.com.au
