If you have heavy or bulky materials that needs to be transported around, you need to make sure that the right trolley is used.
According to most health and safety risk guides, it is vital that a mechanical aid for transporting like a trolley is used wherever possible.
There are many considerations you need to take into account when getting a trolley. Why do you need it in the first place? How do you choose the best one? Which kind of material should be used – plastic or metal? What’s the difference between a flatbed trolley and a cage trolley?
Read on to discover the variety of trolleys in the market and what you should look out for when getting one.
What Is a Trolley?
First, let’s understand the basics.
A trolley is a type of equipment that can be used to effectively transfer a load of materials from one place to another. Trolleys can be used in a variety of settings, including in factories and warehouses.
There are many different varieties of trolleys, coming in a range of shapes, sizes and even materials. These trolleys also vary in loading capacities and weight limitations.
Why Do You Need a Trolley?
As explained above, trolleys are designed for use in many different situations. You may have seen them lined up in departmental stores, aboard a flight and you may even own one at home. Trolleys come in a different variations but they all share a sole purpose – to make carrying or transporting goods much easier and less straining on the user.
The overall number of workplace injuries rose from 12,498 cases in 2017 to 12,810 cases in 2018, an increase of about 2.5 per cent.
It was even reported that such ergonomics health issues such strained backs from lifting boxes have costed Singapore a whopping $3.5 billion every year.
To avoid such incidents in the workplace, you need to use the right type of trolleys.
Tips for Choosing the Best Trolleys
It’s easy to choose a trolley when you know exactly what you need it for. However, that is not the only consideration. Read on to discover what you need to know about before getting a trolley.
1. What Are The Objects That Are Being Handled?
Are you moving boxes of paper or heavy and bulky construction equipment? The shape and weight of the objects you are handling will determine the shelf size and the loading capacity for your trolley.
2. How Are the Objects Being Handled?
Are they sorted or unsorted? Can they be packed nicely in boxes or crates or are they loose, odd-sized items that simply cannot be stacked on top on one another?
Answering these questions will determine the size your need for your trolleys. Having odd-sized items would mean that you may need a shelved trolley to keep the goods from falling over when moving.
3. What Kind of Environment Are You In?
Is there lift access on every floor? Also, are the doors and walkway space large enough for a trolley to go through easily? It is also important to note that you can only transport large trolleys in service and cargo lifts.
Thus, the physical environment of the workplace will determine the size and shape of the trolleys you should use.
4. Is Flexibility Important?
Are you looking for a trolley that is able to adapt to different situations? Can they be adjusted to a particular width or height you need or can they be retracted or extended easily?
This is determined by how you plan to use the trolley and where you want to use it at. Ultimately, it is still better to get a flexible and versatile trolley that can be used for different applications and uses.
5. How Often Will The Trolley Be Used?
Last but not least, you will need to consider how often the trolley will be used. If you’re transporting heavy items on a daily basis, you will need to invest in a durable and reliable trolley made out of high quality materials. This will likely affect the material of trolleys you should look out for.
What Types of Trolleys Are Available?
Trolleys come in various forms that can be used in different applications. For example, the trolleys you see in supermarkets take on a vastly different shape and structure from the personal trolleys you keep at home. To help you gain a better understanding, we have listed the different types of commonly used trolleys.
1. Plastic Trolleys
According to statistics, nine out of ten retailers prefer plastic trolleys to metal trolleys. Not only are they easy to maneuver and rustproof, they are also designed to avoid damage to any fixtures or fittings.
2. Metal Trolleys
On the other hand, metal trolleys have a variety of benefits as well. Metal trolleys can be made of either stainless steel or aluminium. They are easy to clean, gives the trolley a sturdy structure and are less likely to be damaged and dented.
3. Flatbed Trolleys
With a flat base and a handle to grip onto, flatbed trolleys are some of the most popular trolleys on the marketplace. Their simple design is perfect for stacking large, bulky objects that require long-distance transportation.
4. Cage Trolleys
Also known as worktainers, cage trolleys are made of surrounding wire mesh with a standard base, sitting on four castors. Often used in warehouses, factories or catering establishments, they are designed to carry a higher volume capacity and a larger load of up to 500kg.
The surrounding wire mesh also allows you to stack items of up to 1 metre in height. It allows ensures that your items do not fall out and are kept in tact while transporting.
The cage trolley not only helps with moving of goods, it is also the perfect storage solution.
5. Stair Trolleys
The stair trolley can be used to carry objects up and down the stairs or even over curbs. They utilize a special set of castors and wheels – a three-wheel configuration – which helps to easily maneuver the trolley without causing damage to the wheels. This makes the stair trolley or stair climber perfect for shifting goods up flights of stairs when there is no elevator or lift service.
6. Powered Platform Trolleys
If you have to carry around particularly heavy loads for long periods of time, you should consider investing in a battery operated trolley. Although it is more expensive than its manual counterparts, it can carry much more weight and will be easier to operate.
It requires minimal manual work as you can easily control it with a few clicks of a button.
Popular Brands
1. Prestar
One of the most popular brands we have is Prestar Trolley, which is a Japanese manufacturer of high quality trolley. They are a strong believer of producing high quality products with high quality parts. While most Japanese manufacturing companies are shifting their productions overseas, Prestar Trolley is particular about making their products in their home country. Thus, they have set up an integrated production in their own factory in Japan. Prestar’s trolleys are well known for its durability and usability as well as meeting customers’ standards.
2. Jumbo
Jumbo brand is a symbol of excellent quality and durable material handling equipment. Its products are exported to more than 20 countries worldwide.
3. Crystar
Crystar products are incorporated with many useful features which provides each user with the maximum level. Their products are also made with futuristic designs and are made out of only the finest material to ensure that they are of top grade quality.
4. Nansin
Holding true to their slogan of providing the “solution to move the world”, Nansin is the leading producer and manufacturer of high quality castor wheels in Japan. The castor wheels are used in assembly of vehicles for the transportation of machinery, equipment and goods in both industrial and commercial settings. To meet today’s demands in cost efficiency, Nansin’s manufacturing operations are based on the latest automation technology.
5. Mystar
Mystar is one of the leading brands for racking and shelving solutions in South East Asia. From convenient DIY and light duty shelving systems to medium and heavy duty racking systems, every component is designed with extreme detail and manufactured under strict quality control. Products are assured to be designed with user’s comfort, safety, and business efficiency in mind.
Where Can You Find Trolleys?
1. Industrial Trolley Manufacturers or Suppliers
Today, there are so many trolleys manufacturers and suppliers that you will be entirely spoilt for choice.
To help yourself make an informed decision, be sure to do some due research before buying your trolleys. Ensure that the manufacturer you settle on is trustworthy and capable of providing quality trolleys.
Most importantly, be sure to check on the specifications and limitations on capacity or weight of each trolley to determine if they are suitable to handle and transport the goods you have.
2. Online Sellers
You can also purchase trolleys on online marketplaces, such as Eezee.
You can easily find, search for and compare the different trolleys that are available in the market. Furthermore, the price, specifications and technical data can be easily found online, making it easier for you to make an informed decision for your purchases.
You can find all that you need with just a click of a mouse.
What Should You Look for in a Quality Trolley Supplier?
When choosing a trolley supplier, the cardinal rule is that you need to go with the one who can provide you with quality trolleys. Keep reading to figure out what the best suppliers can do for you, apart from just offering you quality trolleys.
1. Meet Your Needs, and Exceed Them
It’s good to get the contacts of a trolley supplier, but can they give you exactly what you need? Do they have trolleys that are of the right shape and capacity, like how you need them to be?
If the supplier can answer these questions, they are then fit to contract for supply.
2. Quality and Standard of Trolleys
When choosing a supplier, you need to pick one who only uses top-quality materials for their trolleys. Be sure to keep an eye out and carefully survey trolleys from each supplier before you choose one to buy them from.
Also, ensure that you check the standard of the trolleys supplied – be it ISO standard or metric standard – before you purchase.
3. Price of the Trolleys
As a customer, one of the most important factors in purchasing trolleys is the price. Even if a trolley may have everything that you are looking for, the price tag that comes along with it may be too high. On the other hand, you may find a cheap trolley, but the quality may be questionable. Therefore, there needs to be a balance between price and quality.
With that being said, it is also important to compare prices and weigh your options so that you can make a bang for your buck and invest in a trolley that will be worth your money.
4. Additional Services
See if you can find out any other additional services that your trolley manufacturer or supplier can provide you with. Some may provide additional perks such as free delivery, extended warranty or even provide additional parts or wheels free-of-charge. This will help to weigh your options so that you can select the most suitable trolley for your business.
5. Track Record
By tracking the supplier’s past records and history, you can find out how popular and reliable a supplier is.
Check out online reviews from other customers to see what they have to say about the quality of their trolleys and the service they provide. Credibility of a supplier would depend on the type of ratings and reviews customers have for them.
–
We hope that you are now more informed about the different types of trolleys, what you should consider when selecting a trolley and how to find the best trolley suppliers.
To browse through the different trolleys that are available for you, browse through our platform here.
Are you a supplier of trolleys and carts? Join us here and watch your sales grow.
Stay connected