Material Handling Efficiency: Interesting Facts About Hand Trolleys

Although we live in a technologically advanced world with many designs making our lives easier and more comfortable, there are some of them that weren’t even recent inventions but rather ancient that underwent upgrades over the years to turn into what we know of them today. One such example is the hand truck, also known as trolley in Australia. 

While it was the 17th century that marked its widespread use and reliability, its versatility and essence being useful for a wide range of applications thanks to the leveraging (something they relied on to build the pyramids) indicate it may have been present since ancient times. It’s true, these early hand trucks weren’t anything like the various convenient cart trolley designs we have today, as they were mainly made from wood and iron yet they still made a difference in material handling.

Which is why they’ve proven to be relevant time and time again, and continued to evolve over the centuries. Things especially began to shift forward in this aspect with the sack carts in the 1700s and 1800s, a time when children were used for labour at manufacturing facilities and docks where there was need to transport sacks of goods. The application of hand trucks made transporting items much easier for a person of little muscle strength. 

Hand Trolleys Today

From the L-shaped platform to the flat platform with four wheels, and the laws protecting children, a lot has changed since then. An aspect that hasn’t changed, however, in addition to the continuous manual operation is the usefulness of these trolleys. As a result, they make the work environment safer and more efficient. 

Not surprisingly, they’ve found their well-deserved place in all kinds of settings, and not just the industrial. From the warehouse and moving scene, to deliveries, event setups, gardening, and home projects, the humble cart trolley is essential in boosting productivity while reducing labour. Industries of all kind, be it retail, food, beverage or logistics require this crucial material handling equipment piece.

As there are various businesses that make use of it, there are different versions of cart trolleys you can pick from depending on your need in terms of sturdiness, reliability in different conditions (e.g. outdoor and indoor use), capacity, and terrain. This would explain the difference in sizes, platform options, materials (even plastic), wheel designs (e.g. pneumatic, solid rubber), handles, and features. 

If you have tasks that require material handling on different floors, for example, features like stair-climbing tyres or convertible design can prove beneficial. In case you need something compact to reduce the storage needs and keep the space more organised, foldable trolley designs are helpful and handy. Depending on the type of items you carry, this too can be a decisive factor in the features you find to be essential; for appliances where durability and stability are key, sturdy long bases and details like straps and clamps are must-have.

What is a Hand Truck Good For?

Whichever name you know this material handling piece for, truck, dolly or trolley, one thing is certain – it can significantly boost productivity regardless of the type of material that’s being handled or the environment it’s handled in. Instead of manually carrying items, the trolley makes for reliable transport of goods, and by not doing the load carrying yourself, keeping it secure on the trolley makes for a reduction in the likelihood of damaging the goods. 

Get the proper training on how to load and unload, how to use straps or clamps, and you can truly make a difference in the load transport. It’s known to protect employees from accidents and injuries that can easily result in more serious conditions or sick leaves and absence from work. This reduced downtime plus time savings from the streamlined and efficient goods transport operation altogether benefits a business with fewer labour costs. 

What would otherwise be a job of a whole team to take items from one point to another makes for easy management for a single person with the help of a convenient trolley. What’s more, not risking damage to the goods being transported also leads to savings and minimal waste. Speaking of waste, there’s another type of waste the trolley reduces – that of fuel. 

Unlike motorised equipment that’s bulky and requires a lot of fuel, the hand operated trolleys are especially great for covering short distances in areas where space isn’t that big, cutting down the carbon footprint. So yes, in this aspect, one might as well conclude the cart trolley is an eco-friendly solution. 

If you get the budget to invest in quality trolley equipment for your business or personal needs, then you’d also be able to benefit from its durability and sturdiness. This is especially true for designs made from top-notch materials like stainless steel or aluminium, as they’re made to last, reducing the need to invest in more equipment like this, saving you money as well as helping you cut down on the waste.