Kioti Shows Long-Awaited Compact Loaders
We visited the Kioti Tractors display at Equip Expo to see the manufacturer’s long-awaited compact loaders, both the track loader (TL750) and the skid loader (SL750). Kioti first talked about these compact loaders in early 2022. The company released the machines recently to dealers, and had them on display at this event in Louisville. Justin Moe, construction product manager, gave us the details.
“A lot of Kioti dealers want to expand their offerings,” said Moe. “We heard from many dealers who said, ‘Kioti makes great tractors, why not compact loaders too?'”
Moe highlighted a few of the design elements on these new loaders. Pointing to his own 6-foot-plus frame, Moe said Kioti designed the TL’s cab for comfort. The wide, open cab includes a high-back suspension seat, plus leg room for taller users. He added that the cab allows all-around visibility, and it features a standard rearview camera. The roll-up style door allows for easy entrance and exit.
The self-leveling feature simplifies material handling with the switch of a button. Pilot joystick controls aid in maneuverability, delivering superior “featherability” and finite control, compared to electric over hydraulic systems. Engineers build in eas of serviceability. The tip-up cab is easy to operate, and at the back of the machine, users find easy access to battery, the air filter, radiators and more. The TL750 has a 10.8-foot height-to-hinge pin and vertical lift path, so operators can easily dump materials into trucks. The machine’s track design reduces the chance of de-tracking.
“The compact equipment market is growing. Plus, building sites are getting tighter in many areas of the country,” said Moe. “This is why compact equipment is popular in Europe, with narrow and small construction sites the norm. And the TL and SL work just as well in America.
We found a Kioti dealer in Ohio that produced a video saying he rode prototypes a long time ago, he’s been holding off customers who have been hoping for these. Dealers get demo units too.
More Equipment
Steven Benedict, Kioti’s Turf Care Product Line Manager Turf Care, walked us around the company’s ZXD diesel zero-turn mowers, which the company introduced in July.
“We are an engine company that builds great products around those engines,” said Benedict. “The ZXD diesel mowers are complementary products for dealers and for farmers and municipalities that use diesel tractors or other diesel vehicles.”
