Beverley-based Direct Tool & Plant Hire has expanded its rental fleet with the addition of five Bobcat mini excavators, supplied by regional dealer AMS Bobcat.
The order comprises three cabbed E16 machines, each weighing approximately 1.6 tonnes, and two 1-tonne E10z excavators. Supplied by Scunthorpe-based AMS Bobcat, the new equipment will be available to hire across North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, including Hull and the wider Humberside area.
The 1,612kg E16 belongs to Bobcat’s R2-Series range of compact excavators. Its SmartFlow load-sensing hydraulic system works with a closed-centre, flow-sharing valve block and an upgraded engine to provide hydraulic power in response to demand. The arrangement is designed to deliver the performance required for different applications while managing fuel consumption and noise.
Bobcat states that the system can reduce fuel consumption by up to 18 per cent and noise levels by 4dBA compared with the previous generation. Replacing the E17, the new E16 also has a transport weight around 100kg lower, making it suitable for movement on vans and trailers. Its compact dimensions are intended to support work in restricted spaces where larger excavators may be difficult to manoeuvre.
Direct Tool & Plant Hire director Chris Reader said customers had been using the 1.6-tonne machines as an alternative to larger 3-tonne excavators, citing their power output. The decision to add the E16 to the fleet followed recommendations from existing hire customers.
The company has also taken delivery of two Bobcat E10z excavators. The model has a transport weight of 1,077kg without attachments and a maximum digging depth of 1.82 metres. Its retractable undercarriage allows the operating width to be reduced from 110cm to 71cm, enabling access through narrow openings.
That compact configuration makes the E10z suitable for residential projects, landscaping and other work where access is restricted. Its ability to pass through standard doorways and garden gates gives hire customers an option for jobs where conventional plant would be impractical.
The five additions strengthen Direct Tool & Plant Hire’s provision of compact equipment across its Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire service area, giving customers access to machines suited to both general excavation and work in particularly confined locations.
