The first Bobcat compact wheeled loader has rolled off the assembly line at the company’s plant in Dobris in the Czech Republic, the headquarters of its Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
The company announced that with the first completed machines now ready, the L85 compact wheeled loader model is now in full production at the facility. The model was unveiled in October 2020 as part of Bobcat’s revolutionary ‘Next is Now’ launch event and is the company’s very first compact wheeled loader model. Bobcat has also confirmed full details and features of the L85 model and said that the first machine is heading to the Bobcat Institute on the Dobris campus, where it will be used to train the company’s dealers and customers.
Bobcat said that in order to meet demand for its new compact wheeled loaders, an additional fourth production line has been built at its Dobris plant with a capacity of around 1000 machines per year, operated by 15 workers per shift. The overall new investment involved was over a million Euros.
Jiri Karmazin, loaders product manager at Bobcat, said: “A product of the Bobcat Innovation Center on our Dobris campus, the L85 has been designed to set a new market-leading performance benchmark in this segment of the market. The L85 is built with proven components including the engine, structures, axles, electronics and hydraulics sourced either from Bobcat or our prestigious Tier 1 suppliers. Many components are already widely used in our market-leading compact loaders, mini-excavators and telehandlers, and the L85 undergoes the same final assembly and test procedures as these products.”
According to a Bobcat statement, high performance is assured by “the combination of the powerful Bobcat engine and the hydraulics… complemented by the high stability, breakout, push and pull forces and a comprehensive selection of Bobcat attachments”. Combined with high operator comfort and ease of use, the L85 compact wheel loader is ideal for a multitude of tasks in a wide range of industries. Added the statement, pointing out that the L85 can be used in construction, landscaping, rental, industrial, waste, recycling and agriculture, but is also ideal for road work, snow removal, maintenance and many other applications.
There are also multiple Bobcat loader attachments already approved for use on the L85, with more to be announced in the near future, said the company. The current portfolio includes a general-purpose bucket, light material buckets, a combination bucket, pallet forks and angle broom attachments. The L85 is equipped as standard with a Power Quick-Tach system compatible with widely used industry standard couplers. The L85 can also be fitted with a high flow hydraulics option, providing a hydraulic flow of 100 l/min, which is required for the use of some attachments.
Other comfort and performance features available on the new model include automatic ride control, bucket level indicator, LED road lights, 30kmh speed option, wheel options and a road package.
