SMALL IS BOUNTIFUL FOR AVANT TECNO USA
Published: 4/3, 2020
Avant Tecno’s compact-but-mighty articulated loaders have already taken multiple industries by storm, like property management, construction, and demolition, etc. With the latest release of its larger and more powerful 800 series machines and its upcoming release of its electric series, Avant continues to pioneer and pave the way in the company’s development of internationally acclaimed and innovative compact loaders. Jukka Kytömäki, President of Avant Tecno USA, oversees sales and distribution for Avant in the United States and recently provided some insight into the company’s massively growing international operation.
PDa: Tell us about Avant Tecno USA?
Since 1991, Avant Tecno has manufactured more than 45,000 loaders at in Ylöjärvi, Finland and is now producing 5,000 loaders a year. The machines boast innovative design features that focus on efficiency, ease of use, safety, versatility, and ergonomics. With sales offices already established in Finland, Germany, and the United Kingdom, Avant Tecno expanded operations to the US in May 2012. Since the beginning, the feedback from American customers was very positive. Avant is offering a completely different and distinctive solution for various customer segments including landscapers, hardscapers, arborists, property maintenance, construction, and demolition.
PDa: What makes your business and company unique?
Our machines feature more than 200 different kinds of attachments and are multi-functional and versatile in design. We tailor our loaders to the size, market, and weather conditions of every industry and export to every continent in the world. The cornerstone of our business has always been to put research and development, quality and manufacturing at the forefront. Every machine is thoroughly tested and documented first in Finland, then again when it reaches our U.S. HQ outside of Chicago. There, our service team helps maintain and service the machines. We intentionally overstock parts to ensure they are readily available to customers. In addition to delivering dependability and consistency, integrating the sales and marketing functions into the R&D and customer service side of the business has been critical in keeping up with Avant’s unprecedented rate of customer demand and innovation.
PDa: Any new products soon?
Absolutely! We’re thrilled to be introducing and showcasing our new Avant 860i model to the North American market. With these larger compact articulating wheel loaders, the machines reach speeds of about 18 miles per hour [29 kph] and feature an increased lift capacity of about 4,188 pounds [1,900 kg]. It’s our most powerful loader series to date and yet its dimensions and articulated design make the machines very versatile and powerful. The introduction of our 800 series gives us a chance to jump into additional vertical markets looking for bigger, stronger, faster machines. We’re also excited to introduce our e-series to the U.S., which is set to launch by this summer. These machines are battery powered and especially suited for indoor use where ventilation is limited or non-existent and there are strict noise restrictions. The e-series machines will be a game-changer for indoor jobsites. Lastly, we’re about to be releasing new attachments for asphalt patching. This has been demonstrated and prototyped in Europe with very promising results.
PDa: How does Avant fit into the construction and demolition sector?
The versatile, agile, and powerful compact Avant loaders utilize many attachments in a variety of configurations including concrete mixers, soil screening buckets, vibrating plate, and brick paver installation clamp for construction projects; hydraulic breakers, cutter crusher, and an asphalt grinder for demolition jobs. Avant’s backhoes, trenchers, and augers are ideal tools for digging applications within construction projects. But single tasks are not in Avant’s DNA. With Avant’s unique attachment coupler and hydraulic multi-connector, it takes just seconds to release the hydraulic breaker attachment and hook up a heavy-duty bucket to carry the debris away. Being lighter than typical skidsteers, the compact and light loader is made for working inside buildings. Due to its small size, it can be lifted to higher floors, and the hydraulics output allows you to make use of our wide range of attachments on the same basic loader. Hydrostatic power transmission, telescopic boom and joystick control give you full precision control for the best possible results.
PDa: What about Avant and safety?
On construction sites, safety is the foremost concern. Our designers take safety very seriously, and that’s why our loaders feature secure railings on the safety roof, various cab options, brilliant visibility from the cab, a sideways-fixed articulated joint and low center of gravity. We offer a full 360 degree unrestricted view so operators are in full control.
PDa: Avant’s dealer network?
We have a wide and ever-growing footprint in the American market with more than 150 dealer locations across the United States. Globally, the construction segment is one of the fastest-growing segments for Avant and we are starting to see the same trend here in the United States. We will be exhibiting at many shows in 2020 and are looking forward to further solidifying and reinforcing our growing presence in this sector.