Bobcat of London

Bobcat of London is an international company with offices in London and New York.
Loyal service

Bobcat of London is an international company with offices in London and New York. Supported by over 20 years experience as an authorised Bobcat dealer in plant machinery sales, the establishment of the UK-based sales office in 2008 was a strategic move that has gone from strength to strength

The business sells some of the toughest, most adaptable equipment available on the market, and through its parts and service division acts in the service of all Bobcat equipment needs. “In the six years we have been trading in the UK, the demand for our services has continued to rise. The market today remains very buoyant, leading on from 2013, which for us was a record year. We expect to reach and exceed that level of sales again by the end of 2014. There has been a lot of money released for utility and large works projects within London, which has facilitated our growth,” says Daren Bigg, general manager.

Bobcat of London is focused on the southeastern region of the UK, complementing other geographically positioned dealerships. “Some of our largest clients are hire companies, and as such, the hiring of equipment directly is a business opportunity that we actively avoid. With all our customers we adopt a personal approach, developing strong relationships across the industry. Loyalty is not an attribute always placed at the top of people’s agenda, but we believe it forms an important aspect of our success. Our service is particularly strong in the industry, supported by our service backup and parts availability. In most situations we achieve a same day repair, and this is an aspect of our service that is highly valued by our clients. To ensure a first time fix, our mobile service team carries a large amount of spare parts on the vans,” explains Daren.

The equipment range currently provides solutions for agriculture and farming, right through to forestry, landscaping, ground works, civils, construction and demolition. The extended cross section of industries highlights the multi-faceted capability of its portfolio, as Daren highlights: “We are not just tied down to one market, this opens up the potential to enter new and developing areas. Our most popular product is the Bobcat excavator, ranging from 0.8T to 8T and, generating 70 per cent of our sales, we also sell telescopic handlers, popular in farming and the construction sectors. However, it is the Skid Steer and Tracked Loaders that have made Bobcat a world renowned name in the market place. Over the last couple of years the market for that product in the UK has increased significantly.”

Sales of the skidsteer loader into the US market far outweigh those of excavators, and through investment in front end attachments the capabilities of the skid become substantially greater. “The UK market is slowly coming round to a similar way of thinking. Essentially, the skidsteer loader it is a multi-tool carrier, and it has the potential to eliminate the necessity for companies to hire separate task specific machines, which ultimately drives down the cost of projects,” says Daren. One client, Colchester Zoo, demonstrates such adaptability, operating just one Bobcat Skidsteer loader, utilising eight different attachments, the single machine is able to undertake numerous activities such as sweeping the car park, laying cables, digging trenches, lifting and moving pallets, and earth moving.

European manufacturing is undertaken in the Czech Republic, where it produces most of the skid steer range as well as the smaller end of the excavator range. “We are able to use the facilities at the factory to fully demonstrate the capabilities of the equipment, with the whole range of attachments. Through our technical expertise in service, we have developed very strong relationships with Bobcat in relation to R&D, both in the new innovation centre in the Czech Republic and in the US. Bobcat as a manufacturer are open to suggestions, and anything that its dealer network puts forward is always considered, reflecting the communication links we have with the end users,” explains Daren.

Training for engineers is an ongoing process in line with new models and new technology, and as its customer base increases it works hard to maintain a high level of expertise by continually recruiting for engineers. As the range of customers expands, from large customers with 150 machines, down to single traders, the lower end of the market has witnessed the most dramatic growth, recognising the benefits that investment in such technology brings. “We also offer finance packages with rates that are subsidised by Bobcat, and this really increases demand,” says Daren. With a clear vision of the future, Daren concludes: “We are now reaching the stage where we are looking to invest and grow the business in terms of people and sales. The infrastructure is in place, supported by a core set of experienced people, knowledgeable of the market place, and the product. It is a solid foundation that gives us a good springboard to develop those skills with an additional workforce. As true specialists of the Bobcat brand,  ur knowledge instils confidence with our clients, and our close relationship with Bobcat and our customers places us in a position where we can provide an unrivalled service.”

Bobcat of London

Services: Authorised Bobcat dealer in plant machinery sales, service & parts