BY SAUL WORDSWORTH

Case Construction Equipment is launching an all-new, industry-first equipment category with the introduction of the Case Minotaur DL550 compact dozer loader.

Weighing in at more than 18,000 pounds and working with 114 horsepower, the new first-of-its-kind machine delivers true dozing and grading performance, as well as powerful site loading capabilities and compatibility with hundreds of attachments.

“The Minotaur is truly a fleet of one,” says Jeff Jacobsmeyer, product manager, Case. “Business owners and fleet managers looking for a compact solution that delivers countless benefits in a single footprint will immediately see the versatility this exciting new machine brings to their fleets and will quickly understand what a ‘compact dozer loader’ is capable of accomplishing.”

The hallmark advancement of the CASE Minotaur DL550 is the chassis-integrated C-frame with six-way dozer blade. The C-frame hydraulically couples into both the chassis of the machine, as well as the attachment coupler. This design provides the stability and smooth operating plane of a small dozer while ensuring that all operating power is channeled through the whole body of the machine. This establishes greater performance and long-term reliability than the simple combination of a dozer blade attachment to a traditional compact track loader.

It also comes standard with Case Universal Machine Control, which makes the machine ready for any of the major three providers of machine control technology, which are sold separately. It’s also available with an optional, industry-exclusive fully integrated ripper for tearing up tough terrain to simplify dozing and earthmoving operations.

The C-frame is then detached to allow the operator to use it as a loader with a heavy-duty 1.25-cubic-yard bucket, or with hundreds of common loader attachments many equipment owners already have in their fleet.