Purchasing guide: How to choose the right trolley for your material handling tasks

In the warehouse, the handling trolley is the most basic piece of equipment for moving material around easily and optimising flows. Manutan EXPERT has a wide range of industrial handling trolleys on offer. Between all these different types, which one should you choose? Floors, pathways, products, and the environment are all decisive elements to be taken into account.

The different types of handling trolleys

A trolley for every need! Manutan EXPERT can assist you in contributing to the “Well-working” of your teams.  Discover the different models of handling trolleys that Manutan has to offer and make the right choice for your needs.

Shelf trolleys

Shelf trolleys are suitable for the handling of small goods, including the transport of:

• Parcels;
• Mail;
• Files;
• Plates;

Platform and panel trolleys

Platform and panel trolleys are basic trolleys for the regular transport of heavy and bulky loads. They are robust and their swivel wheels make them easy to handle. If your goods are likely to roll off, choose a model with side panels or removable panels.

Mesh trolleys

Mesh trolleys are available in a variety of models, ranging from the steel wire trolleys used in supermarkets to the Manutan mesh trolleys which are designed to move large volumes of goods. They offer ventilation and visibility.

Constant-level trolley

A constant-level trolley maintains the load at a constant height, regardless of its weight. As you load or unload, the level of the platform is automatically adjusted. This ergonomic trolley prevents the risk of MSDs. It is mainly used in the catering and hospitality industry.

Some models are equipped with a heating system, while others have cooling slots. The rising base trolley is used for transporting laundry in the laundry sector. It can also be used for handling industrial batches of cardboard boxes up to 150kg.

Container trolleys

Popular in warehouses, container trolleys are used to securely transport and store goods. The removable walls make storage easier. Thanks to its height, the roll container takes up little space.

Container trolleys

Are you transporting small parts in bins that you need to be able to grab quickly? Choose a container trolley to make picking easier.

Pallet trucks

The two fork arms of the pallet truck slide underneath the pallet and lift it. The loading capacity is up to 5,000 kg. It makes it possible to carry heavy loads without much effort. Manual, semi-electric or electric, it is an essential device for loading and unloading trucks.

Manutan manual pallet trucks

Manutan manual pallet trucks can transport and lift loads of up to 5,000 kg. It has a lifting height of over 4 metres. It is commonly used for shelving in warehouses.

Choosing a handling trolley: things to consider

There is a trolley for every purpose. Your needs will differ depending on whether you are transporting mail, picking bins or bulky plasterboard. The wheeled trolley will not be the same for transporting a 50kg product as for transporting 500kg of goods. To choose your Manutan trolley, you should first carefully analyse your environment and your needs.

Which is the right material for your handling trolley?

The material of your handling trolley is one of the things to consider when making your choice.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a very hygienic material. Bacteria cannot attach to it. It is suitable for wet environments as it is corrosion-resistant. Moreover, the Manutan stainless steel trolley meets the hygiene standards of the food industry, the catering industry, and the pharmaceutical industry. It is also the most environmentally friendly choice. Stainless steel is robust, durable, and fully recyclable.

Plastic

Plastic is a strong and lightweight material. Light-duty shelf trolleys are easy to manoeuvre. It is convenient for moving files around an office or for handling small items in a confined space.

Wood

The wooden shelf trolley is easy to handle and can also carry heavy loads. Wood is a high-quality material. Aesthetically pleasing, it will blend in perfectly with furniture in a workshop, office, or shop.

ESD

The ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) trolley is designed to resist electrostatic discharge. The material is specially treated with an ESD epoxy powder coating. It is the obvious choice for protecting your electronic equipment against the risk of electric shocks.

Aluminium

The aluminium trolley is light in weight but still capable of carrying heavy loads. It is also corrosion-resistant. It is the ideal trolley for use outdoors, in cold storage, or in a laboratory.

What is the size of your product?

The size, dimensions, and weight of the products will also affect the choice of the right handling trolley. If you store long pipes in your logistics warehouse, you will need a truck for large and bulky loads. Their wheels allow for tilting, making it significantly easier to remove and put down the load.

What kind of environment will the trolley be used in?

Pay attention to the type of floor your trolley will be used on as well as the width of the passages and aisles. You don’t want your trolley to get stuck because the area was incorrectly measured. A Manutan folding platform trolley or a professional sack truck is ideal for use in confined spaces.

Ergonomics at all costs: a trolley that makes handling work easier

A trolley is pushed and stopped many times throughout the day, so it has to be ergonomic! Thanks to its manoeuvrability, it makes transporting more efficient while reducing the risk of MSDs and/or accidents.

You have to consider this factor if you are transporting heavy loads (40kg or above). The trolley is fully in line with the Lean Management approach when used with bins. Manutan trolleys are adjustable, and it is possible to add accessories to them according to your needs.

Which features make a trolley more ergonomic?

• Wheels: depending on their positioning and material, they can better absorb shocks and make movement easier.
• Start assistance: Power-assisted systems significantly reduce the effort required when handling the trolley.
• Built-in steps: designed to facilitate picking and order preparation, they prevent unnecessary movement.
• Trays: add a non-slip mat to prevent products from slipping.
• Handles: choose them carefully to ensure a good grip on the trolley.
• Electric trolleys: increasingly present in the Warehouse 4.0, they provide real comfort in terms of movement.

All about the wheels: choosing the right wheels for your handling trolley

Have you found the right trolley for your needs? Now you just need to find the right wheels for it. Wheels are the most important part of your trolley’s performance. The material of the wheels and their position under the platform make your trolley more or less flexible and comfortable to work with in the best conditions.

Fixed or swivel?

For routes in a straight line, from point A to point B, choose fixed wheels. Does your route involve bends through racks and shelves? Swivel wheels are best to make handling your trolley easier.

Which material?

Polypropylene and polyamide are stiff materials, suitable for flat surfaces, while wheels with rubber tyres are softer and suitable for all kinds of terrain. What kind of floor you are working on will often determine the most suitable material for your trolley wheels.

You should carefully observe your environment and your routes: cast iron wheels will be more suitable for smooth, flat indoor flooring, while wheels with tyres will better absorb the impact from use outdoors on damaged, bumpy, and uneven ground.

What size?

The smaller the wheels on your trolley, the harder it is to push. If you need to transport heavy loads, it is better to use wheels with a larger diameter to reduce the number of turns and therefore the pushing effort.

Turn your manual trolley into an electric one

With motorised wheels, you can turn your manual trolley into an electric one! Easy to install and handle with their control handle, they offer peak speeds of up to 4 km/h and greater efficiency!

The handling trolley should allow you to move maximum loads with minimum effort! The Manutan EXPERT range is so extensive that you will easily be able to find the one that will save your team time while ensuring that the handling work is carried out safely. It will help you to optimise your efficiency when transporting and to reduce the fatigue caused by handling.

Discover our product category “Trucks, Trolleys & Stackers“