The company extended its lineup to include a compact wheel loader that will be price competitive with large skid steer loaders. It also welcomed dealers from across the country to celebrate the brand’s success in North America.

SDLG made its first appearance at a major North American trade show in March, participating with its own booth at CONEXPO 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The occasion marked a major milestone for the brand, which only began selling its wheel loaders in the region a few years ago. At once, the company was able to celebrate its success and credibility in the region, as well as showcase its new products and connect with its extensive dealer network.

On display at SDLG’s booth were two new wheel loaders for North America: The SDLG L918F, a new compact loader, and a prototype of the L959F, a new high-capacity loader. Both machines reflect the company’s commitment to expanding its product offering and to continue offering simple, reliable technology to the North American market. Both machines are also certified Tier 4 Final.

SDLG hosted a dealer event at its booth during the trade show, bringing together leaders from several of the company’s dealer locations to celebrate the occasion and exchange knowledge on their experiences and successes with SDLG. The event was held in the evening, shortly after the CONEXPO had ended on March 9, and it drew dealers from across the U.S. and Canada.

Craig Slobodian, corporate CE sales manager with Redhead Equipment, was one of the dealers in attendance. His Canadian-based company has sold several SDLG wheel loaders to customers working in municipal functions, snow removal and aggregate production, among others. Slobodian said he was looking forward to offering the new L918F to customers who need a compact wheel loader, and saw a great opportunity for the model to replace large skid steers.

“The new L918F will be a great wheel loader for many of our customers, and in fact, we have already sold the first model in North America to one of our long-time customers,” he said. “We see these competing with skid steers, and in many cases, they will be better for customers because of the wheel loader attachments they can use and the fact that they won’t tear up the job site grounds like a skid steer.”

Redhead Equipment sold the first L918F—the same unit on display at CONEXPO—to Emshay Enterprises, a Canadian aggregate producer that is also a repeat SDLG customer. A representative from the company said that because of the reliability and expert service provided by SDLG have given it great confidence in purchasing another model for its gravel production applications.

Reliability in action
The L918F is SDLG’s fifth wheel loader offering in North America. It features a 1.0 yd3 bucket mounted to a skid steer style coupler, placing the machine in the compact loader category. The unit also has an optional 1.3 yd3 bucket with wheel loader ISO coupler as an alternative configuration. The machine will compete with large skid steer loaders, providing the same bucket capacity but with increased maneuverability and operator comfort. Additionally, the compact loader’s steering mechanism will cause less damage to job site grounds when compared with a skid steer loader. Also at SDLG’s booth for CONEXPO was the L959F, a prototype unit that when released later in 2016 will replace the LG959, serving as a Tier 4 Final update to the product range.

Both machines will excel in a variety of applications, including construction, roadwork, landscaping, work in stone and mulch yards, snow removal, and waste and recycling. The machines are ideal for owners that can find value in a reliable, low-cost loader backed by a 12-month, 2,000-hour warranty, with extended warranties available. SDLG loaders serve as a viable alternative to used, premium machines, and can often provide a lower total cost of ownership.

Al Quinn, director of SDLG North America, said customer demand was the driving force behind introducing the L918F, with several companies asking SDLG dealers for a compact, value loader alternative for many current skid steer loader applications. He explained that the new model was part of the brand’s long-term strategy.

“This new launch demonstrates the maturation of SDLG in the North American market,” Quinn said. “It’s a milestone. We have tested the concept of offering robust, reliable, value machines into the region and we’re now confident that the strategy works. SDLG will continue to expand and offer more products over the coming years that are similarly positioned in the marketplace.”

A brand on the rise
SDLG is one of the world’s top sellers of wheel loaders. The brand was introduced to North America in 2013, having proven itself in many other regions. The goal was to test the viability of a value brand option in the market, offering machines with simple but proven, reliable technology at an affordable cost. A seasoned dealer network and solid warranty further bolstered the company’s value proposition.

Since 2013, the brand has seen significant growth, as its North American dealer network has grown to 30 dealers in 54 locations. In 2016 the company added a second distribution center for the West Coast in Seattle, Washington, to extend the capabilities offered by its distribution and parts center near Atlanta, Georgia.

Several municipalities in Canada and the U.S., including the New Jersey Department of Transportation, are using SDLG wheel loaders for roadwork and snow removal, among other applications. In the future, SDLG intends to offer additional types of equipment in North America, including a backhoe and a motor grader.

“SDLG will build upon its proven success in other regions of the world and follow the same global model,” Quinn said. “We’ve seen that there is an opening in the market for value-priced
products that offer simple, reliable technology and we’re excited to expand our lineup to offer machines that benefit this large segment of customers.”