Dynamic and passionate about machinery, Emmanuel Martel-Gauthier of Multi Souches recently purchase his first machine: the Cat 304. We met him to learn about his journey and to find out what he appreciates about his latest acquisition.
Emmanuel's journey
While Emmanuel Martel-Gauthier was growing up, his passion for machinery started early and continued to grow as he began operating dozers, tractors, and excavators on the farms of family and friends.
For the past 13 years, he has worked as an operator in the forestry industry, gaining experience with many different machines. When he encountered his first 30-ton Cat excavator, he fell in love with the brand.
More recently, Emmanuel started his own business, which would allow him to transition out of the forestry industry job that he truly loves to stay closer to his family in Lavaltrie, QC. He also reached out to his networks and secured the contracts that would make this possible.
To tackle the work, he had lined up — backfilling jobs, earthworks, terrain levelling, land clearing, and landscaping — he would need a versatile and hardworking machine of his own. Driving on Highway 13 through Laval, he saw a billboard advertising a limited-time promotion for the Cat 303.5 excavator. The specs and low monthly payment he found online were promising, so he filled out the web form and was quickly put in touch with Toromont Compact Equipment Sales Rep Mai-li Lauzon.
During that first call, Emmanuel could tell that Mai-li shared his own passion for machines, and he was impressed by her compact equipment expertise as she guided him through an evaluation of which machine would best suit his needs.
After hearing about the work Emmanuel would be doing, Mai-Li made a strong recommendation for the Cat 304. It's a strong and reliable machine with innovative features and the same horsepower as the 305 CR.
Emmanuel took Mai-Li’s advice and made the purchase.
What Emmanuel thinks about the 304
As a new 304 owner, he says that the machine’s digital LCD touchscreen is easy to navigate. He loves the hydraulic response and is amazed that there is so much hydraulic power in such a compact machine.
“It's only been used for 15 hours so far, but I can already say it’s surprising,” he says. “I haven’t used the stick steer or cruise control, but those can be a powerful feature to leverage, to move easily around the jobsite.”
He also pointed to the spacious cab and enhanced visibility as notable perks.
“I have a lot of friends in construction, so I reached out to them to show them my machine, which I'm so proud of,” he says. “Friends were going in and out of the machine easily and felt so comfortable. The front window — which is two split windows — can open entirely, so whatever task you do, you can see at any opportunity.”
Now that he’s behind the controls, Emmanuel can get to work building his business, Multi Souches.
To experience Toromont’s customer service for yourself, reach out to our sales team and start a conversation with a sales rep like Mai-Li — who will take the time to understand your needs and recommend the right mini excavator.
Looking to experience a Cat mini excavator and live the dream of owning a Cat like Emmanuel?
