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testimonial: madera community college

doing more with less: how avant helps madera community college keep pace with growth

As one of California’s newest community colleges, Madera Community College continues to expand to meet the needs of its growing student population. New facilities, athletic fields, and landscaped spaces have increased the demands on the campus grounds department, while staffing and budgets have remained lean.

To maintain a beautiful, functional campus without adding equipment or labor, the grounds team turned to the Avant 735. Equipped with a range of versatile attachments, the compact loader has become an indispensable part of daily operations, helping the team accomplish more with fewer resources.

Supporting a Growing Campus

At Madera Community College, no two days are the same. From maintaining athletic fields and landscaped areas to unloading deliveries and clearing debris, the grounds department is responsible for keeping every corner of the campus looking its best.

“We use the Avant 735 almost every day,” says Alberto Villegas, Grounds and Custodial Manager at Madera Community College. “Our department is responsible for maintaining the entire campus landscape and keeping it looking beautiful.”

With just two groundskeepers supporting an expanding campus, versatility and efficiency are essential.

“We used to rely on multiple machines—a tractor, a mini excavator, and other equipment,” Villegas explains. “Now, instead of switching between different machines, we simply change attachments.”

Consolidating multiple pieces of equipment into one versatile loader has reduced maintenance costs, minimized storage requirements, and simplified day-to-day operations.

“This saves both time and money, which is very important for us as a smaller, growing campus with a limited budget,” he adds.

One Machine for Countless Tasks

Versatility was one of the deciding factors when selecting the Avant. Equipped with attachments including a bucket, pallet forks, blower, spreader, and mower, the machine quickly adapts to a wide variety of maintenance tasks throughout the day.

Just as importantly, it has proven easy for operators to learn.

“One of the main things we liked was how easy it is to use and drive,” Villegas says.

The telescopic boom has also become a valuable advantage when handling materials around campus.

“When unloading pallets from a truck, you can extend the boom to reach pallets farther inside without needing additional equipment or risking damage,” he explains.

Changing between attachments is equally straightforward, allowing operators to move from one application to the next in seconds.

“Swapping attachments is extremely simple,” says Groundskeeper Joseph Lozano. “You press a button, move a lever, and switch over. It takes less than half a minute.”

Improving Everyday Productivity

While the Avant delivers measurable operational savings, its greatest impact is in the daily work of the grounds crew. Tasks that once required multiple people or several pieces of equipment can now be completed more quickly and with less physical effort.

“The Avant has become a big help in our daily work, especially when it comes to lifting and moving materials like branches or debris,” Lozano says.

Its specialized attachments have also streamlined routine maintenance.

“The spreader attachment, for example, makes maintaining our soccer field much easier,” he explains. “We can load several bags of fertilizer at once, and what used to take a lot of time is now fast and efficient.”

For a department responsible for maintaining a growing campus with limited resources, those efficiencies add up every day.

“Overall, the Avant makes our work much easier,” Lozano concludes. “Tasks that used to take multiple people can now be done by one person. It saves time, reduces physical strain, and makes the job much more efficient.”

Built to Grow Together

As Madera Community College continues to expand, the demands on its facilities team will continue to evolve. By combining multiple applications into one compact, highly versatile machine, the Avant 735 has given the grounds department the flexibility to keep pace with that growth while making the most of its existing resources.

For organizations managing large properties with lean teams—whether campuses, municipalities, parks, or commercial facilities—the experience at Madera Community College demonstrates how one versatile machine can replace multiple pieces of equipment, improve productivity, and help crews accomplish more every day.

View the testimonial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW0WAlsuHxw