Jos Olieman: “The Relly RELLY 1.0 is a perfect fit for my projects due to its compactness.”
A MAJOR PREMIUM INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON TEST OF MINI-LOADERS RECENTLY TOOK PLACE. DE SCHANS ENTERED THE RELLY 1.8 AND THE RELLY 1.8E FOR THIS. AT MANUFACTURER DE SCHANS, THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH THE ASSESSMENT OF THESE MINI-LOADERS. IN THIS EDITION, HOWEVER, WE LOOK AT LANDSCAPING WITH A RELLY 1.0 DIESEL.
The RELLY 1.0 has been on the market for four years and is better suited for use in the landscaping sector than its larger 1.3 and 1.8 RELLY brothers. Landscaper Jos Olieman purchased the RELLY a year ago. Olieman says he has had a passion for landscaping since a young age. After school, but also while employed, he took on jobs in his spare time. In his shed, alongside hand tools, stand a mini excavator, vibratory plates, a stone saw bench, and his mini-loader. The latter bears the RELLY brand. Attachments include a soil bucket, pallet forks, a tile rake, and a leveling frame. ‘In addition to garden construction and maintenance, my company also does paving work. The RELLY 1.0 from De Schans comes in very handy for that.’
Optimized
Why did Olieman choose this specific mini-loader? ‘First of all, I already had experience with other mini-loaders, including the Knikmops, which the RELLY closely resembles in principle,’ he explains. ‘D. van Breda BV in Geldermalsen is a sub-dealer for De Schans. And that is only a ten-minute drive from my company; so that played an important role. D. Van Breda is my regular equipment supplier, and I also rent equipment and attachments here, such as a stone clamp. So, they let me test this RELLY 1.0. What ultimately clinched the purchase was the compactness and speed of the RELLY. Both the driving speed and the responsiveness of the hydraulics were faster and more optimized than the mini-loaders I had experience with so far. In terms of price, the RELLY did not differ much from my second choice, the Knikmops. Additionally, this RELLY 1.0 was delivered from the factory painted in colors that match my work van, namely anthracite gray. I applied stickers with green accents myself, in accordance with my corporate identity.’
INCREDIBLY STRONG
He has been working with this machine for a year now to his full satisfaction and without any breakdowns: ‘Leveling a sand bed is becoming easier and faster for me with this,’ Olieman notes. ‘I can work efficiently with it, and my customers notice that in the cost calculation as well. This RELLY 1.0 is strong and has an incredible lifting capacity. It is hardly inferior to the RELLY 1.3, which is slightly less compact. De Schans equips their mini-loaders with one counterweight as standard. I expanded that to three myself. This prevents the rear wheels from lifting off the ground when lifting a heavy pack of stones. This machine fits my projects perfectly due to its compactness. I am convinced that this is the version that will suit most landscapers best. In any case, I can reach everywhere; the mini-loader is strong and compact, and you can maneuver it very easily in small spaces. Regarding tires, I chose a small stud profile, which leaves the fewest tracks on a sand bed. A tractor tire profile is not important because I hardly use it for earthmoving on damp soil. For that, I have a mini excavator on tracks if needed.’
NO RELLY 1.0 E?
Although this landscaper also works a lot with cordless hand tools, he did not consider investing in a battery-powered RELLY 1.0. ‘In this type of landscaping work, it is not mandatory,’ he explains. ‘In terms of operating time, I have more confidence in filling a diesel tank than constant charging. I do hear good stories about this electric version, which you can fully charge in 12 hours. However, such a machine is perhaps 1.5 times as expensive. That increases the cost price, which I would then have to pass on. Additionally, I don’t have a full workload for a mini-loader, which could be a prerequisite. After all, my diesel RELLY sometimes stays in the shed for several days in a row.’
THE RELLY 1.0
The RELLY 1.0 has both a diesel and an electric version. The latter has a 36kWh battery pack. The diesel version has a three-cylinder Kubota engine, type 1105, with a power output of 25 hp. As standard, the mini-loader has a folding roll bar, and the hood can be easily flipped back, giving you a view of the engine and making it easy to replace filters, for example. With an unladen weight of 1,205 kg, the machine has a lifting capacity of over 1,000 kg. Both versions have a maximum travel speed of 16 km/h.
Commercial manager Jan-Willem Slegh of De Schans says: ‘Our first model came onto the market in 2021. Since then, D. van Breda has purchased thirteen RELLYs from us, both for their own rental fleet and for sale. Currently, customers can choose from no fewer than 3 RELLY models: the 1.0, 1.3, and 1.8. All three are available as both a diesel version and an electric mini-loader. We now have a full production line, and we have also found a Dutch production partner with the same mentality as ours. Our RELLY 1.8, which appeared in 2024, participated in an international comparison test by Trekker magazine. It scored the best-tested lifting capacity (2,200 kg), the best seating position, the smoothest boom control, and the quietest drivetrain.’
OLIEMAN LANDSCAPING COMPANY
26-year-old Jos Olieman has been working for himself for three years now, having gained experience with two employers in the landscaping profession since the age of sixteen. He concluded that entrepreneurship and earning his own money suited him well. He carries out much of the work with a flexible shell of three to four freelancers. Olieman Landscaping is located in Waardenburg, Gelderland. Olieman primarily takes on construction and maintenance jobs for gardens where paving work also plays a role. And that is within a distance of approximately a 15-minute drive from his location.
