When manoeuvrability meets muscle

A NSW contractor is carrying forward a family legacy by pairing the right equipment with strong dealer relationships.

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For Beau Barnes, running a contracting business efficiently hinges on using the right machines and fostering dependable relationships with the partners who supply and support them.

Over the past four years, Beau has taken the reins at NSW-based Barnes Contracting — founded in 1988 by his father — and continued expanding the operation, building a fleet that now includes four machines and four trucks supporting a broad range of work: from general excavation and land clearing through to waste management and specialised attachment work.

The most recent addition to Beau's fleet is the Cat® 304 Next Generation Mini Excavator, a machine he describes as the “perfect fit” for the company’s evolving needs.

Ticking all the boxes

Barnes Contracting's work is varied, and that diversity places particular demands on equipment.

The company works on roadside verge mowing, trenching projects, site preparation and excavation tasks, often in confined areas where manoeuvrability is essential. At the same time, the attachments used for such tasks and other operations can place heavy loads on a machine.

Beau said the challenge was finding a mini excavator that could combine the compact footprint of a smaller unit with the performance of a larger machine.

“We got in touch with Michael Hodges from WesTrac at Casula to see if we could find something that would fit a number of criteria we had,” he said.

“Firstly, we wanted something that had a good cab and good ergonomics, because I’m quite tall, and so are many of our operators. When you’re in the machine for 10 to 12 hours a day, you need to be comfortable.

“And that was the first thing we noticed with the Cat 304: it’s as comfy as.