In today's hectic and competitive world, versatility and productivity rate among contractors' top needs in compact equipment.

With the right tools to do more work at a lower cost, getting construction jobs done on time and on budget becomes an easier task.

That's one reason why skid steers and compact track loaders are so popular. Outstanding versatility and a vast range of attachments make these machines the right tool to finish every project.

"Every year we add a couple more skid steers, but no matter how many we own, we could always use a few more," said Brad Huston, president of R.G. Huston, a contractor based in Cottage Grove, Wis.

The skid steers are in demand at R.G. Huston.

"In the morning when we dispatch the men, we all ask who has the skid steers, when will they be done, and when can I have one. You can't get your work done without having a skid steer on most of your projects for at least part of the job," Huston said.

R. G. Huston owns eight John Deere skid steers and is renting-to-own two of John Deere's compact track loaders.

"I think most contractors out there would agree with me," Huston said. "Skid steers are the most valuable, versatile and beneficial equipment to any company, large or small, whether you are a landscaper, road builder or do concrete."

A fast growing contractor, R.G. Huston does it all — grading and excavation, sewer and water main construction, special concrete structures, and landscape services.

Projects range from small commercial sites to multimillion-dollar subdivisions and commercial projects.

Equipped with a large array of attachments, R.G. Huston's skid steers complete a variety of tasks on every job site.

On landscaping jobs ranging from small residential lots to 100-acre developments, skid steers are used for backfilling curbs, installing sewer and water lines, and laying sod. Trenchers help put in fencing, and augers and other attachments plant trees. A breaker helps with curb and driveway removal.

On street utility jobs, skid steers touch up around curbs after the motor grader has done its work.

"Their compact size makes it easier to do the finishing and finesse work at the end of the project," said Paul Wendricks, shop manager for R.G. Huston.

Fork-equipped skid steers unload pallets of material from delivery trucks and move them around the job site. The machines also can be fitted with an angle broom for cleanup and a landplane for grading.

The company recently began renting two CT322 compact track loaders, which are used to landscape wet areas.

"They're great in areas with mud or fine sand," Wendricks said. "They give you much more tractive effort than you get by putting steel tracks on a skid steer. And they're nice for finish grading because they don't bounce as much."

With 60/40 weight distribution, a low center of gravity and a long wheelbase, John Deere skid steers provide the excellent stability — a key benefit for R.G. Huston.

"The machines are very well balanced and have ample horsepower for our applications," Wendricks said. "The new vertical lift design provides more lift capacity with better stability."

Operators also like how easy the machines are to run, according to Wendricks. Steering levers deliver precise, low-effort control, but won't react to a bump in the road.

"You don't need an experienced operator to get good results. Controls are more user-friendly than on a larger machine, such as a backhoe," he said.

Like most contractors, dependability is top of mind with R.G. Huston when purchasing equipment.

"Margins are thin, so we need versatile, reliable equipment," Huston said. "If there's downtime, it's going to cost us money. We use John Deere light equipment because it is the most productive, yet costs the least to run and maintain."