The new snow removal mandate: do more with less - Equipment Journal

Oct 14, 2024

Snow removal businesses may base their decision on acquiring snow plows or pusher attachments on the initial cost, overlooking long-term expenses, improved efficiency, quality of clearing and the potential to secure additional projects.

When considering these factors, the optimal return on investment is achieved through the utilization of adaptable and agile attachments, even if the upfront cost is higher.

According to Degen Kelly, Director of Operations at Outdoor Pride, it is tempting to focus on the lower initial purchase cost. However, for the greatest overall returns, more attention should be given to the ROI that higher quality attachments provide.

These attachments offer more flexible choices that allow a variety of movements in tight spaces. Unfortunately, many standard snowplows and pushers have limited functionality, and can turn a nimble skid steer or wheel loader into a large, clumsy piece of equipment with limited manoeuvrability.

“Once you crunch the numbers, you see how much time high quality attachments can save, how much onsite equipment you can eliminate, how much quicker your operators can work, and how much longer the equipment lasts,” Kelly said.

“Once you start to think about the ROI with the goal of doing more with less equipment, using a more flexible, quality attachment is a no-brainer.”

Founded in 1988, in New Hampshire, Outdoor Pride has become one of the largest landscape and snow management providers in the region. Like many landscape contractors, the company offers year-round service that includes snow removal in the winter for large commercial and government-owned properties.

“All the facilities we maintain are zero tolerance, which means that if they ever had to shut down, they could lose a lot of revenue every hour,” Kelly said. “So, the ability to quickly and safely clear snow from a site is essential. We need our entire fleet of equipment effectively performing every day during snow events.”

For snow removal, the company has 85 Bobcat skid steers and mini loaders, each equipped with a unique AutoWing attachment from Minnesota-based SnowWolf Plows.

Founded in the 1970s as a family run snow removal and landscaping contract business, SnowWolf transitioned into the role of equipment manufacturer in 1990. Today, the manufacturer offers a variety of models and sizes of snow plows, pushers, blowers, and other snow removal accessories.

Its patented AutoWing QuattroPlows, available in four models and machine operating weights, are specialized attachments that allow operators to switch between angle plowing, wide-angle plowing, pushing and back dragging on the fly.

A key feature of the AutoWing design is the ability to extend and retract its side wings independently, depending on the width of the road or the amount of snow cleared. This allows operators to clear wider swaths of snow without manually adjusting the plow’s position, increasing productivity and reducing the need for additional passes.

The AutoWing only requires one hydraulic circuit for efficient operation. No additional wiring is necessary and there are no specialized controls. The attachment can be angled left or right with a standard control feature on the joystick. The user-friendly design simplifies operator training.

“The QuattroPlow has all the great aspects of a fixed box, along with the ability to easily angle and back drag. It has a very simple setup with just two hydraulic lines,” Kelly said.

Outdoor Pride also uses SnowWolf’s ActivEdge, a unique design involving multiple cutting-edge sections with individual adjustability. The floating cutting edges allow for more precise snow removal, even on varied surfaces.

“We have seen a benefit from utilizing the ActivEdge. Our plow edges are now following the contours of the pavement a lot easier,” Kelly said.

The increased efficiency of Outdoor Pride’s snow removal equipment has substantially improved its operations. Kelly estimates the amount of time to clear a complex area has been reduced by about one-third.

Although decreasing operator time is important to Outdoor Pride, Kelly said there are other ancillary factors that contribute to the ROI. A major factor is the ability of the equipment to withstand the rigours of snow clearing.

Some of the accessories on the market, “seem to get banged up a lot easier and require some serious attention to maintenance.” The QuattroPlows the company purchased seven years ago are still in service and other than new edges have required very little maintenance.

“The attachment is an investment, but from what we have found, it is an investment that gives us results and lasts,” Kelly said. “We are experiencing significant ROI in decreased operator time to get through an entire property. We also see it in the longevity of the product.”

While the initial cost of equipment like snowplows or pushers can be a significant factor, it is essential to evaluate their long-term benefits, including increased efficiency, better quality of clearing and the ability to handle more jobs.