Takeuchi is adding the TB395W to its product line, marking the first wheeled excavator the Japanese manufacturer has brought into the United States.
Wheeled excavators have become increasingly more common in Europe and appear to be gaining popularity in the U.S.
“There is interest, and it will continue to grow as job sites become more confined and accessibility becomes more difficult,” said David Caldwell national product manager for Takeuchi. “As cities grow and population centers grow, you'll start to see more because you need more versatility to move through those job sites quickly and efficiently.”
Based on the company's 9-ton excavator platform, Takeuchi says, the 23,000- to 26,000-pound TB395W, unveiled at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023, provides the power of a tracked excavator with the benefits of a wheeled machine, such as higher travel speeds for on- and off-road applications.
At ConExpo, a sales rep from Chappell Tractor LLC in Milford, New Hampshire, found the excavator to be an ideal solution for contractors in the Northeast. “Backhoes back in the day were kind of the number one thing; they do everything and they're not good at anything,” said Jobe Miles. "With one of these, you can take up a lot fewer road lanes, and you can work all the way around."
Noting that it is similar in size to a backhoe, he said it can do a lot more work and the versatility of a variety of attachments, including tiltrotators, makes a difference.
"Now, in the Northeast, I'm not going to say we're ahead of everybody technology-wise, but we sell a lot of tiltrotators on a lot of excavators," Miles said.
