More and more earthmoving businesses are recognising the benefits of the Next Generation series of Cat® Compact Track Loaders, with the new 265 one of the models gaining popularity.
Part of Caterpillar’s Next Generation series designed for enhanced performance and versatility, the Cat 265 and 255 loaders were released last year, incorporating customer feedback to deliver improved stability, better lift and load capacity, and functionality.
The models represent the pinnacle of what compact track loaders can be, providing outstanding power, precision, and durability, all within a frame that prioritises comfort and safety for the operator.
And indeed, while the impressive horsepower and torque are outstanding features, it’s the level of comfort which has proven to be among the most popular upgrades for many owners.
Among those has been earthmoving contractor Rob Colless, for whom little things definitely mean a lot. The loader’s focus on operator use has been welcomed with open arms … and a much-relieved back.
Rob and wife Jarene run Crescent Head Excavation & Contracting, which works to provide superior earthmoving services and contracting across the NSW Mid North Coast on time and safely, from planning and design through to implementation and completion.
“We do all kinds of earthworks, from civil construction on roads, to rural driveways, shed and house pads, pool holes, retaining walls, dam construction, land clearing, and traffic control,” Rob said.
“We are a small family business and aim to keep it that way, it’s all about work life balance for us. We don’t want to get any bigger, we love the way everything is working with a tight-knit hand-picked crew.
“And for us, it’s all about quality over quantity.”
Which means Rob meticulously handpicks the equipment for the business’ fleet.
After hearing about the bigger and better features of the new CTLs, Rob bought a Cat 265 in July 2024, the first business in NSW to acquire the model.
“Definitely the features of the 265 and its capabilities won me over. I considered the 255 but really just needed that little bit more torque for the kind of work I do. It made sense to go to the ‘Next Generation’.,” he said.
Now, six months down the track, Rob has absolutely no regrets.
“Certainly, we got the new machine in for its various improvements, and we enjoy the upgraded torque and power,” Rob said. “But I especially loved the changes in the cab room.
“The seat and internal comfort is unbelievable. It’s like sitting in a lounge chair. It’s so comfy you could sleep in it.
“It’s so noticeable after a full day sitting in the cab: the 265 is so much better compared to older track loaders which did not have the track suspension. The level of comfort is so much beyond our previous machine, which was a different brand. You’re not chattering your teeth all day.”
The level of satisfaction was backed by Jarene, who handles all the administrative duties and bookwork for the company.
“Rob used to come home whinging and complaining all the time from his last machine, it was that painful to use,” she said.
“But when he comes home from using the 265, he’s happy. He’s chilled out. It’s great. The comfort is definitely there for him, which he needs as he’s getting a little bit older!”
Of course, the comfort levels are just the tip of the dirt mound.
“The versatility of the 265 is awesome. I’m loving the amount of torque and the extra lift height, the tilt and lift breakout capacity, it’s quick and easy to change attachments, and it’s way more stable than anything else I’ve ever operated,” Rob said.
“We’ve done a bit of stick raking with it, along with mainly driveway jobs. We’ve been digging out house shed pads and using it to load material in and out of different jobs, as well into the into a truck and dog.”
Rob also loved the joystick controls, which helped make driving the model almost effortless.
Not only do they handle all machine functions and adjustments within the display, but there’s no need for the operator to remove his hands from them.
“The new joysticks are really, really handy. You don’t have to take your hands off the joysticks to adjust the attachments, the radio or air con, it’s just so much easier to use and I’m not having to stop and start to do those little things,” he said.
“The technology in it makes it so much easier to operate, with connectivity to devices quick and easy to navigate so you can keep the tunes cranking all day.
“The cameras also make it so much safer to operate, I can see what’s happening around me with the rear and side camera and the large screen. When you combine the vision, the torque, the comfort and the technology, I can punch jobs out safer and faster.”
Rob’s affiliation with Cat equipment goes back a long way, starting from when he was just knee-high.
“I’ve been on Cat machines since I was born,” he said. “I grew up around the gear owned by my grandfather, Frank Cummin, who started E.F. Cummins Pty Ltd.
“He bought a new Cat 955H track loader in 1972, so it’s easy to say I’ve been born and bred around the yellow machinery.
“They’re in my blood, and we’ve been part of the Cat family for three generations. I prefer to buy quality machinery to save on downtime and headaches.
“I can’t ever remember not loving the Cat brand, it’s the reliability, performance and comfort that I think outshines anything else on the market.”
Jarene said she always knew Rob would go for Cat machines if he could.
“He’s just had it instilled in him from when he was a little boy that buying new stuff is always best if possible. You don’t have downtime and it’s actually cheaper in the long run and much more enjoyable,” she said.
So, when it was time to get a new loader last year, a Cat machine was front of mind for Rob.
“My old machine was getting to the end of its use-by-date, and I was sick of being sore and sorry after a full day in it,” Rob said.
“I saw that the new CTLs were going to be debuted at the Diesel, Dirt & Turf Expo.
“I couldn’t get away from work to attend, so I called up WesTrac Tomago BCP Machinery Sales Representative Joel Newton and inquired about the models.
“I was going to get a 289, but after speaking with him, finding out all about the Next Generation, I put my name down for a 265. He gave me an expected date for delivery; and it was delivered pretty much right on time.
“I hired machines for a few months until it arrived in Australia. It was worth the wait.”
The relationship with Joel and WesTrac is another factor that Rob is delighted with.
“He looks after us in all aspects, whether it’s repairs, parts or general inquiries,” he said.
“The backup from the Westrac Tomago has been really awesome. Joel didn’t just flog the machine off and run, he not only communicated really thoroughly the whole way, but he’s delivered everything he promised on time and followed up to make sure I was happy.
“His knowledge about the gear is exceptional and he’s easy to work with.”
Crescent Head has signed up signed up for a FitFleet® Customer Value Agreement, which is an ongoing support and preventative maintenance program that provides a suite of tools to streamline maintenance management for fleets of any size (including machines of any brand).
With asset management, service scheduling, parts ordering, invoice data and customisable reports, users can stay on top of operating requirements, ensuring their assets are working at optimal performance levels.
“Jarene doesn’t need to track when services are due or order anything,” Rob said.
“They contact us when things are due and get them to us ready for the services without us having to do anything except just say ‘send it’.
“It’s painless. I normally just ring the local team if needed and they sort it out for me, whether it’s parts or other needs.
“When I ring up, they already know my machines and what to send. It’s so quick and easy just to make that phone call, they get it sorted in a few minutes and I’m back to work.
“They normally drop parts off or I pick them up locally somewhere nice and easy.”
For Jarene, another benefit of FifFleet was the overall productivity and cost savings that it offered.
“With our last machine, while the payments were much less, we had heaps of downtime with it,” she said.
“The repair bills were ridiculous and it was just annoying and letting down clients all the time.
“With the Cat, we know the payments. There’s no extra costs for anything else, other than the fleet maintenance services that we have.
“There are just no unknowns or unexpected costs. So it just makes it really easy to budget for the business and makes my life a lot easier.”
Jarene also appreciated the quick turnarounds.
“When we need parts, we can just make a quick phone call and we get them that day or the next day,” she said.
“We don’t have to have any downtime at all. It’s just one quick call, bang. They’re so reliable.”
There’s also the facility to go online and obtain parts if needed, which Rob says is particularly handy in case of emergencies.
“Just go to parts.cat.com, order your parts and get them sent straight out. It’s quick and easy. You can do it at night and don’t have to stop in the middle of the day to order parts, which is really convenient,” he said.
Cat 265 features
- Redesigned operator station
The cab delivers a larger operating environment, and combined with additional seat travel, the 265 provides more space for operators of any size.
The optional one-piece, sealed, and pressurised cab offers a clean and quiet workspace with excellent air distribution through optimally placed vents.
Available ventilated and heated high-back air ride seats with seat-mounted adjustable joystick controls deliver industry-leading operator comfort.
- High-performance power train
This provides selectable settings for drive power priority and maximum travel speed (overdrive) to customise the machine performance to match the task.
- Auxiliary hydraulic performance
Three levels are available: Standard Flow, High Flow, and High Flow XPS. Standard flow for attachments that require a base level of auxiliary flow and horsepower, High Flow boosts the auxiliary flow for applications that demand additional hydraulic flow for increased attachment performance, and the High Flow XPS hydraulic system provides maximum auxiliary hydraulic performance by delivering additional flow and additional pressure for the most demanding attachments and applications.
- Electrically-controlled engine
The Cat C2.8TA (turbo after-cooled) engine meets U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final and EU Stage V emission standards while delivering maximum horsepower across a wide RPM range and providing high torque for increased working performance, no matter the application.
- Undercarriage suspension
Standard torsion suspension undercarriage and standard two-speed travel, combined with the optional Speed Sensitive Ride Control system, improves operation on rough terrain, enabling better load retention, increased productivity, and greater operator comfort.
- Advanced touchscreen monitor
The 20.3 cm (8-inch) monitor offers cutting-edge functionality and control that includes an integrated radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and multi-camera (side-view) option, and supports 32 different language choices.
- Advanced joysticks
The joysticks provide unmatched control of machine functions and adjustments within the display without the operator having to remove his hands from the controls.
This includes the on-joystick navigation of the Advanced Touchscreen Monitor, radio volume up/down/mute, creep activation, creep on/off, creep speed increment/decrement, one-button Smart Attachment control activation, and additional auxiliary control buttons that deliver single-button control of complex attachment functions.
- Ground-level access
All daily service and routine maintenance points are accessed from ground level to help reduce machine downtime for greater productivity.
- Attachments
A broad range of performance-matched Cat Attachments make the Cat Compact Track Loaders the most versatile machine on the job site.