In order to serve all customers in the best way possible, continually expanding the offer is one of TVH’s main goals. That is why TVH has recently added a new equipment type to their existing range of parts and accessories for small earth-movers (SEM): the backhoe loader! After the official launch of parts for mini-excavators, skid steer loaders and compact track loaders in 2020, the backhoe loader is the fourth member of TVH’s small earth-moving family.
High time for a chat with TVH Expert Joris Tijtgat, Market Management Specialist for SEM, to get some interesting insights about this addition to their range.
ABOUT THE EXPERT
Joris Tijtgat is Market Management Specialist for SEM. He has been at TVH for over ten years, but he was already familiar with the company before his first work day in 2012. When he was still a student, he was welcomed at TVH for his dissertation. He developed a test bench for transmissions and hydraulic pumps with some fellow students, which won an innovation award and is still being used today.
COUNTLESS PARTS FOR SMALL EARTH-MOVERS
In 2020, TVH officially added parts and accessories for three small earth-movers (up to ten tons) to its range: mini-excavators, skid steer loaders and compact track loaders. “That addition didn’t come out of the blue”, Joris explains. “We were already helping countless SEM owners and had many fitting parts in stock. But the official launch did signal the further development of our offer.”
“Currently, we take proactive action for parts and accessories suitable for nine focus makes: Bobcat, Case, Caterpillar, JCB, John Deere, Kubota, Takeuchi, Volvo, and Yanmar. But we also reactively develop parts for other makes than our nine focuses, such as Hitachi, Komatsu, Terex, Wacker Neuson … In that way, we have already accumulated over 4 million known references for small earth-movers.
EXPANSION IS KEY
“But of course, we’re not stopping there. Continually expanding our range – especially for small earth-movers – is one of TVH’s main goals. Whether that be with new parts, new brands or new equipment types”, Joris explains. “With those three possibilities, there’s always one common denominator: their introduction to our range is largely based on the needs of our customers. Of course, we also keep a close watch on the market and take action according to all trends and developments within small earth-moving. The most important influences are the needs and expectations of our customers. And by that, I mean all our customers.”
THE BACKHOE LOADER ARRIVES
“That is why”, Joris reveals, “we are thrilled to announce that we have officially added parts and accessories for backhoe loaders to our range! Backhoe loaders consist of a tractor-like unit with a bucket loader at the front and a backhoe at the back. Each of those components suits a particular sort of job, making the machine highly versatile. Therefore, backhoe loaders lend themselves to all kinds of earth-moving jobs in demanding environments such as construction, agriculture, landscaping and more.”
THE POPULARITY OF BACKHOE LOADERS
“Zooming in on the popularity of the backhoe loader, it can be noted that that machine isn’t achieving the same sales figures as it used to”, Joris knows. “In the early nineties, the backhoe loader was still considered to be revolutionary, making it the best-selling machine within small earth-moving at that time. However, by the beginning of the 2000s, the backhoe loader had been replaced by new equipment types, such as mini-excavators, skid steer loaders and compact track loaders.”
“Does that mean the backhoe loader will ever disappear completely? I don’t think so. After all, the success of a machine depends on the health of the economy: why purchase multiple machines when you could buy a backhoe loader that does a variety of tasks? Nevertheless, the sales figures of 30 years ago are probably infeasible now.”
“Although the backhoe loader is less popular than it used to be, many machines are still active today. Therefore, there are also still plenty of customers in search of backhoe loader parts and accessories. And we at TVH want to help those customers, now and in the future”, Joris stresses.
TVH’S OFFER FOR BACKHOE LOADERS
“Actually, TVH has had parts and accessories for backhoe loaders in stock for quite some time now. This range is mainly a continuation of our current offer for small earth-movers”, Joris nuances. “But with this official launch, we want to help our customers find the way towards that offer. In addition, the launch highlights that we are now proactively developing our range for backhoe loaders.”
“That range is suitable for makes such as JCB, Case, Caterpillar, John Deere, Volvo, Bobcat, Kubota … But as already mentioned, you can also contact us for makes outside of that scope. We have many parts in stock and are continually striving to expand our offer, adding new parts every day. Our current range of parts includes electrical components, engine parts, filters, frame & cabin parts, hydraulic components, seats, transmission parts, all kinds of hardware such as bearings and bushings, and much more. If we don’t have a particular part yet, then our extensive look-up service will happily process your request. So no matter what backhoe loader parts and accessories you’re looking for, TVH is here to help”, Joris concludes.