Case Enters Subcompact Market with New Small Articulated Loaders

It’s not quite a skid steer, CTL or compact wheel loader – it’s a small articulated loader – a new product category that Case Construction Equipment says will bridge the gap in its compact loader lineup.

Six diesel-powered units and one electrified model will be launched throughout 2023 and 2024, three of which were previewed at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023: the telescopic SL12 TR, the electrified SL22EV and the telescopic SL35 TR. (Get a closer look at the machines in the video at the end of the article.) The loaders will be designed and built by Tobroco-Giant, a Netherlands-based manufacturer of compact construction equipment including loaders, skid steers and telehandlers, and distributed under the Case and New Holland brands in North America. An agreement between the companies was announced in February 2023.

“A big piece of our strategy is further expansion into the subcompact equipment market that allows dealers to provide solutions beyond traditional skid steers and CTLs to meet the needs of their customers,” said North American Head of Product Management Brad Stemper. “We’re working in confined areas to work on jobsites where access is challenging and for contractors who need the ability to transport smaller equipment.”

Designed for landscaping, tree services, agriculture and material handling applications, the rubber-tired articulated loaders can be equipped with a variety of attachments for loading and stockpiling material or moving pallets in a small footprint.

“The articulated design matched with light weight and turf tires allows for excellent agility that doesn’t tear up existing turf or other surfaces, all while still operating in a very compact footprint. And with a wide range of attachment options, these loaders are the ultimate support machines both for work in the yard and on site, on turf and on improved surfaces,” says Brady Lewis, product manager.

The line will share attachment commonality with Case’s new mini track loader fleet, which also debuted at ConExpo, while the larger models in the range will share compatibility with standard skid steer and compact track loader attachments.

The new lineup features machines spanning 25 to 75 horsepower with rated operating capacities (50 percent of tipping load) ranging from 1,200 pounds to 5,000 pounds. Cabs include both ROPS and foldable open ROPS configurations. The telescopic booms offer additional versatility and performance, Case says.

“The SL12TR sits just between a mini track loader and a traditional skid steer or compact track loader,” says Stemper. “It’s super-powerful and compatible with a whole range of attachments for optimal utilization and value. The telescopic capabilities of this machine and others in this range make this machine even more dynamic.”

The electrified SL22EV further builds out the Case battery-powered equipment portfolio for work indoors or outdoors where quiet, zero-emission operation, with reduced maintenance, is desired. Case also offers the CX15EV and the CX25EV electric mini excavators and the 580 EV electric backhoe. Currently, at least two of Tobroco-Giant's small articulated loader models are electric. The company has stated an intent to offer 100% electric variants of all models in the future.

“We’re bringing these solutions to market with the support of a full-line manufacturer and a mature dealer network that reaches coast-to-coast,” says Lewis. “No one will outwork Case in meeting the demands of loading and material handling applications — and this new product line ensures a comprehensive range of options for businesses of all shapes and sizes.”

The small articulated loader has grown in popularity in recent years with Bobcat announcing its line of small articulated loaders in 2019 and Vermeer signing a distribution agreement for Multi-One’s compact articulated loaders in 2020. Case’s loaders will start hitting dealer lots this summer.