Compact wheel loader masters tough landscaping challenges

The Schäffer 2445 SLT has formed part of the machinery fleet at garden and landscaping company Ringbeck for a few weeks. It didn’t take long for the machine’s potential to become clear. The compact wheel loader is currently being used on a project where it has come up against a number of specific challenges.

The wheel loader has only just clocked up a few hours in operation and yet it now seems completely unimaginable to carry out the day-to-day work at Ringbeck without using the new Schäffer 2445 SLT. The company, located in Oelde, Münster, has been operating in the garden and landscaping industry as well as project business since 1994. 50 employees at the branch in Langenfeld in the Rhineland take care of the design and maintenance of gardens and green spaces owned by private, commercial and public clients.

The management at Ringbeck presented Holger Strugholz from construction machinery dealer Erwentraut in Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, with a real challenge in their search for a new wheel loader: “We found that the machinery needed for use in our operations is becomingly increasingly more compact in size. We have been observing a clear trend towards the use of ever smaller equipment – especially where our private clients are concerned. We have also been receiving an increasing number of jobs for paving work in underground car parks where a light, but nonetheless powerful wheel loader is needed.”

Holger Strugholz suggested they should give the Schäffer 2445  SLT a try. The technical data certainly aroused the interest of the gardening professionals as with its working load of just 2,480 kg and a total height starting at 1.95 m, the compact loader is able to safely transport pallets complete with paving stones up to a weight of 1,700 kg. “A Schäffer loader is the ideal solution, especially if you are looking for a small and compact loader which still offers a high performance”, said Holger Strugholz who subsequently recommended a demonstration with the loader.

No sooner said than done – Site Managers Michael Stemich and Darius Olech were already very impressed by the 2445  SLT when it was first put to use. Comparable loaders from other manufacturers which they also tested just couldn’t keep up with the performance displayed by the 2445 SLT. When asked whether the loader could be specially painted in company colours instead of the standard yellow design, Strugholz’s reply was simple, calm and collected: “Schäffer only manufactures its loaders to order, offering an excellent level of manufacturing depth. It’s for this very reason that Schäffer is incredibly flexible and is able to rapidly respond when it comes to special requests from customers.” In this respect, the employees at Ringbeck can consider their new wheel loader to be a real one-of-a-kind design as the front end and the roof of the driver’s cabin are painted in a noble anthracite colour whilst the rear end and wheel rims are a deep green colour.

The wheel loader is currently being put to the test at the construction site being worked on at the moment by Ringbeck in Neukirchen-Vluyn, North Rhine-Westphalia. The new garden which is to be landscaped is located away from the side of the road and can only be accessed by going through the garage, the clearance height of which measures just two metres. Large concrete slabs are being used to pave the terrace in the garden. Two steps then lead on to the lawn area. The entire site has to be filled and large L-shaped stones are intended to secure the surface on the sides. “Our challenge was that all of the material had to be transported through the garage to the garden. The 2445  SLT is the ideal solution in this case as it’s no problem at all to raise each pallet and transport it through the garage. In choosing this loader, it doesn’t really matter whether the edge blocks, L-shaped stones or the heavy concrete slabs are on the pallet”, said the landscaping experts who were evidently satisfied with the result.

Further flexibility is provided in the shape of a variety of attachments which can be quickly and easily fitted thanks to a hydraulic tool lock system. An earth scoop is also being used on site in addition to the pallet fork handler. This means that the loader can quickly and efficiently take care of all loading and transportation work. The 2445 SLT also cuts a fine figure when loading heavy goods vehicles with a lifting height of 2.5 m. A further advantage for the landscaping company is the fact that the wheel loader can be transported from one operation site to another using a car trailer as a result of its lightweight construction.

But that’s not all: the 2445 SLT can also be used for operations outside of private gardens. “We are receiving more and more jobs involving paving work in underground car parks and their roofs. There are two key details when it comes to using machinery on such jobs: the height of the machinery and the working weight. Of course, the height of the garage places a limitation on the height of the machinery. But also in terms of the weight of a loader, limits were quickly reached as for multi-storey garages, it all comes down to the load carrying capacity of the driving surface and certain roof loads cannot be exceeded” explained Site Managers Michael Stemich and Darius Olech. Even when faced with such a challenge, the 2445  SLT still offers the ideal choice due to its lightweight working weight and low design.

The wheel loader is even being used in places which can’t normally be reached on wheels. “Due to the well-designed transport lugs at the front end, the wheel loader can be moved to the inner courtyard by crane. In the past, we had to use some real elbow grease to put down paths and foundations. In today’s world, however, Schäffer has taken this work off of our hands”, commented visibly relieved employees as Ringbeck. “There is no doubt that we have a acquired real competitive edge by using the 2445 SLT as we are able to complete individual jobs much quicker and more efficiently. This enables us to offer our customers a more attractive price when quoting for jobs”, explained the management assuredly. In fact, they are already looking forward to tackling the next challenge with the 2445 SLT.

Find out more about the 2445 SLT here.