Michael Holleman Praises the Power and Versatility of His Relly 1.3C

ARTICLE

GARDEN AND PARK TECHNOLOGY

Gert te Lintelo, Saturday 13 July 2024

203 sec

Compact Size, Big Performance!

Just as hyper-focused as Max Verstappen steering his RB 20 around the track, Michael Holleman maneuvers his Relly 1.3C across the base of a new padel court. Using a fold-out leveling frame, he smooths out the continuous piles of sand delivered to him with his mini loader.

Holleman praises the power, speed, and ease of use of his mini loader.

The groundworker from Valburg smiles with satisfaction: "This Relly is exactly the machine I needed." Meanwhile, his eyes scan toward the temporary access road to see if another tractor with dumper is arriving. Then he jumps back onto his machine to level the newly delivered pile of sand. It's as if someone behind the bushes is keeping track of record times with a stopwatch. "Sorry for the stress," he apologizes. "I'm thrilled De Hovenier is interviewing me, but I do want to have everything perfectly finished by six this evening..."

Taking Care of His Body

Holleman has been self-employed for five years; before that, he worked for an employer for another five. "When it comes to groundwork and paving, I'm highly versatile and very flexible," he says. "One day I'm digging a garden or installing a driveway for a private client. The next, I'm handling a bigger job like constructing a parking lot. A deal is a deal—that's what I'm known for. I don't have a website; word-of-mouth keeps me busy. And since starting my business, I've carefully planned every step."

"I want to do as much as possible with one machine"

The Relly 1.3C has enough power for heavy tasks, yet is compact enough for tighter spaces.

That same strategic thinking applied to his machinery: "In principle, I want to do as much as possible with one machine—even tasks that could be done by hand. Saving time isn't even my main goal; I just believe in taking care of your body. We all know those hard workers who already have worn-out backs by age fifty. That's exactly why I avoid unnecessary strain. If there's a technical solution for a heavy task, I'll use it."

Buy vs Rent

Michael says that when he started as a freelancer, he already had a clear idea of which machines he eventually wanted to buy. In that regard, he calls himself a bit old-fashioned: "I'd rather buy a machine than rent one, even if it sometimes sits idle for a few weeks. Sometimes I get last-minute calls for urgent jobs. I don't want to be dependent on rental availability. Renting might be cheaper for some companies, but I prefer being independent. My goal was to own one small and one large excavator and two mini loaders. I use the smaller loader for garden work and the larger one for everything else. For the latter, I chose the Relly 1.3C—after a lot of research and testing."

While we have a chance to take photos, Holleman quickly flattens three consecutive dumper loads of sand using his Relly 1.3C. "This machine runs like a dream," he sighs as he steps off. "It's fantastic. I'll admit, I first considered a Knikmops—they're well known in our industry. But someone in my village works at De Schans in Hedel. When we started talking about mini loaders, he told me De Schans had developed their own: the Relly—and that I absolutely had to try one!"

Testing Options

And that's exactly what he did. Holleman is still impressed by the testing options De Schans offered. "I tried pretty much their entire lineup. Based on my feedback, they gave me different machines to test. A Knikmops of the right size didn't cut it—the bucket didn't tip well and it lacked power. The Relly 1.0 was easy to handle but didn't have enough lifting power. The Relly 1.8 was too big for the gardens I often work in. So I ended up with the Relly 1.3."
He notes something interesting: "The power of the rental model I tested initially felt underwhelming." He continues: "But I judged too quickly. Rental machines are often throttled a bit to prevent overuse. In Hedel, they went all-out to fine-tune my Relly 1.3C. The stated power of 33 kW is fully delivered—I can easily lift 1,450 kg, just as the brochure claims. I probably shouldn't say this, but once I lifted over 1,600 kg as a test. We had three strong guys stand on the rear ballast to keep the back wheels on the ground—but still... This thing's a beast! Not oversized, but super powerful."

Leveling Frame

Holleman doesn't need many attachments for his work. "A wide bucket, forks, and a rubble/tile rake—that's enough for me," he says. "The leveling frame I use isn't standard—I designed it myself and had a friend build it. De Schans had no issue with that. I can unfold the side panels hydraulically with the push of a button, giving me a 3-meter working width. Folded, the frame is 1.5 meters wide. That gives me plenty of flexibility."
His machine is also equipped with boom suspension, extra lights, three counterweights, and an electric differential lock. "That's ideal—one push of a button and I've got traction again." Holleman can't praise De Schans enough: "Their service is fantastic. You can tell they really understand the paving trade. Some companies might think I'm a difficult customer because I know exactly what I want and don't like to compromise. But at De Schans, they never try to talk you out of anything—they work with you to find a solution. I wanted an extra lip welded to the bucket for easier lifting. Their response? 'No problem, we'll sort it out!' That's top-notch service—nothing but praise from me."

The extra lip welded on top makes lifting the bucket incredibly easy.

Relly 1.3C Specifications

Manufacturer De Schans describes the Relly 1.3C as powerful and well-thought-out—specifically designed for demanding pavers and landscapers, with strength and durability at its core. Thanks to smart mode and joystick operation, even less experienced users can operate it with ease.

Engine, four-cylinder diesel:	Kubota V1505CR-T
Power:	44 hp (33 kW)
Lifting capacity:	1,450 kg
Top speed:	18 km/h
Weight:	1,600 kg
Height:	2,200 mm
Width:	1,270 mm

This article was originally published on July 13, 2024, on the website of De Hovenier.

De Schans BV

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