We’ve all heard of bulldozers and skid steers. CASE Construction Equipment is launching the CASE Minotaur DL550, the first-ever compact dozer loader, today, adding a whole new industry-first construction equipment category to the list.
The new machine, weighing more than 9 tons and powered by 114 horsepower, is a beast that provides 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, that is second to none,” CASE product manager Jeff Jacobsmeyer says.
“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 the category ‘compact dozer loader.”
CASE is opening its product proving-grounds facility in Tomahawk, Wis., to media other than the heavy-construction trade press, a first in the company’s 180-year history.
“Members of the mainstream media will be able to doze, dig and demo – just like they dreamt of doing as kids in the sandlot,” Terry Dolan, vice president — North America, CASE Construction Equipment said.
“The Minotaur is designed with real-world applications in mind. Whether you need to clear debris after a hurricane, repair flood-damaged roads in hard-to-reach communities, or create new hiking trails in the foothills of the Rockies, the Minotaur is up for the job.”
The Minotaur is the owner of 29 patents (21 granted and 8 pending) and has undergone over 10,000 hours of field testing, in addition to numerous customer clinics and standard lab and engineering testing.
“We’ve put this machine through hell and back — pound for pound, there’s no machine like it that delivers the dozing power and precision, as well as the dynamic loading performance,” added Jacobsmeyer.
“This groundbreaking, all-new machine demonstrates CASE’s commitment to delivering real-world innovation rooted in customer need.”
CASE has proven to be a company on the move throughout its 180-year history, and the development of the Minotaur is proof of that in both iron and technology.
“The CASE Minotaur DL550 embodies our dedication to practical innovation — real world, customer-driven solutions,” says Jacobsmeyer.
“Through this, we created a whole new equipment category and we’re delivering the integrated technologies that drive improvements for operators in the field and for business owners at their bottom line.”
True Dozer, Powerful Site Loader, and Attachment Beast
The Minotaur’s signature advancement is the detachable chassis-integrated C-frame. This design provides the operator with full dozer control and movement, as well as responsiveness comparable to full-sized CASE dozers.
The Minotaur loader configuration has a rated operating capacity of 5,500 pounds (50 percent of tipping load) and a breakout force of 12,907 pounds.
The machine also comes with three different track options to accommodate operator preferences and jobsite profiles, and the industry-exclusive, fully integrated rear ripper is easily controlled from the cab.
Furthermore, with the addition of the CASE SiteConnect Module, CASE has taken fleet management of compact equipment to a new level, improving real-time monitoring and management of maintenance and service intervals, as well as the analysis of data.
“We know it’s all about maximizing productivity, maintaining uptime and keeping operators on the job,” Jacobsmeyer said.
“These advances provide the ability to remotely diagnose machine events and drastically shorten response times when service is needed.”
The New Rockstar Machine Tours North America
CASE is launching a 40-plus-stop tour of the United States and Canada beginning now and running through March 2023, where the machine will be showcased and demonstrated at CASE dealer locations. Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver will be among the tour’s stops.
“We are bringing the excitement of this industry-changing launch to every corner of North America,” Dolan claims.
“We have more than 180 years of experience in the field, but we’re making moves like a startup, dedicating more time and resources to the field, and spending more time where it counts — with the men and women who run businesses and operate this equipment every day. We can’t wait to see you on tour.”
