Latest News from Rolltek

A trolley needs trolley wheels, whether it is a sack trolley, a catering trolley, a shopping trolley or a garden trolley

It is a fact that a trolley needs to have trolley wheels if it is to be safely and easily moved from one place to another. A trolley is a tool with a platform or basket to hold goods or items; they are fixed with trolley wheels to allow easy manoeuvrability. Trolleys are available with trolley wheels in many shapes and sizes with the capability to carry many different items ranging from very light or small loads to very large or heavy loads but the primary function of a trolley is to move objects from one point to another.

The list below is an example of various types of trolleys:

Folding Trolleys, Sack Trolleys, Shopping Trolleys, Catering Trolleys, Tiered Trolleys, Platform Trolleys, Garden Trolleys

Sack Trolley

This is also known as a sack truck, they are L-shaped metal frames with 2 handles at one end and 2 wheels at the other. Generally these are fitted with either pneumatic wheels, microcellular wheels or solid rubber tyre wheels. If you have a sack trolley or a hand trolley that requires replacement wheels, these are available to buy on our website, just click the picture below to take you to the relevant item.        

Shopping Trolleys

Shopping Trolleys also known as shopping carts started as a box that was fixed to a an office chair on castors, the success of this concept led to the shopping trolley being developed. Modern day trolleys are usually fitted with an antistatic castor; these are used as the risk of static shock is low. Antistatic castors can be purchased from our sales team on 01327 313125.

Catering Trolleys and Tiered Trolleys

Catering trolleys and tiered trolleys are used in many different areas; they are useful for use in schools or canteens to deliver food to dining areas. Often in schools a gymnasium or school hall will double up as a dining room and sports facility meaning the trolleys will need to be fitted with non-marking castors so as not to damage or mark the floor. If you require non-marking castors for your catering trolley, these can be purchased from our website.

Garden Trolleys

Garden trolleys are usually subjected to rough terrain, such as grassy areas, allotments and uneven or rough surfaces. To maximise the use of a garden trolley, we would recommend fitting microcellular wheels, these are puncture proof and will never go flat due to the foam like filling in the tyre. To purchase microcellular garden trolley wheels, click through to our website.

Castors and wheels are available for all of the applications mentioned above. For your requirements, either visit our website www.rolltek.co.uk or call our sales team on 01327 313125 who will be happy to discuss your needs.

Rolltek’s Roll Cage Castors, Roll Container Castor, Sandwich Wheels and Sandwich Castors….

Rolltek are the UK’s largest supplier of both roll cage castors and logistical equipment castors, with an ongoing product development and improvement programme. This includes our own ‘in-house’ testing facilities.

The roll cage or roll container has found a place in a very varied cross-section of industries, the food sector, retail, pharmaceuticals, health care, logistics and many more. Roll cages have the advantage that they are relatively low-cost, easily maneuverable (even when full) and to a degree, they can be repaired when damaged making them an excellent and economical option for transporting goods.  

The history of fitting castors to roll cages and roll containers goes back more than 30 years, with many changes along the way. The first roll cages to be used in large scale numbers in the UK were fitted with white or black nylon wheels. This specification set the standard for the following 10 years, but with ever increasing pressures on retailers to reduce noise levels when delivering product to store, polyurethane tyred wheels were fitted to cages, ultimately followed by ‘sandwich’ designed wheels. By 2012, the majority of UK roll cages were fitted with ‘low noise’ sandwich wheels, thus reducing both transmitted and operational noise levels to an absolute minimum.

In addition to noise reduction, the last 20 years has seen a significant development in strengthening the actual castor brackets by improving the quality of the material around the swivel bearing area to withstand high impact and increased load capacities. Along with the increase in strength and quality, the overall benefits include reduced accidents, longer life expectancy and reduced maintenance costs.

All types of roll cage castors can be supplied by Rolltek, able to meet exact requirements and specifications. Rolltek can also supply rollcage castors and roll container castors nationally and internationally, in both small or large ‘bulk’ quantities. You can buy Rolltek’s sandwich castors (rollcage castors or roll container castors) from www.rolltek.co.uk or call our sales office on 01327 313125 where our sales team will be happy to discuss your requirement.

Rolltek’s Blue Wheels

Rolltek is the market leader in the supply of ‘blue wheel’ products into the UK. Rolltek’s blue wheels have been specifically developed to be used in low noise environments such with medium to high load capacities. The additional benefits of using blue wheel castors include, protection to flooring as the elastic rubber tyre is a non marking material, ease of movement when compared to other rubber tyred products, the blue wheels need little propelling to generate momentum.

Over 20 years of product development, has today resulted in Rolltek being able to supply the highest quality of ‘blue wheel’ to a multitude of markets, benefiting all sorts of applications. Those markets include Retail, Distribution, Aviation, Flightcase, Music and Automotive Industries.

The Rolltek ‘blue wheel’ brings with it extended life expectancy when compared to other standard rubber tyred products, together with the added bonus of ‘high elasticity’ characteristics protecting the equipment being carried upon it.  The blue wheels can be used on many applications including, flight cases, logistical equipment, in-store trolleys, automotive boggies, and noise sensitive areas.

Rolltek’s blue wheels can be supplied in various diameters ranging from 80mm up to 200mm with load ratings varying between 150kg and 400kg. The blue wheels can be supplied as a wheel only or as a castor assembled into appropriate brackets including brake systems.

Rolltek’s blue wheels are available to buy online at www.rolltek.co.uk or call our sales team on 01327 313125.

Rolltek Supplies Puncture Proof Wheels

Puncture proof wheels are a necessity on items such as trolleys, wheelbarrows, goal posts, leisure equipment etc but surprisingly they aren’t always fitted as standard. Often this equipment is fitted with a solid rubber tyre, these won’t puncture but they offer little shock absorption and can often be a bumpy ride or fitted with a pneumatic wheel, these are fantastic shock absorbers and good on soft ground but are prone to puncture.

To guarantee that the wheels on equipment are puncture proof, a microcellular wheel should be fitted. A microcellular wheel has very similar characteristics to a pneumatic wheel; a pneumatic wheel has a tyre, an inner tube and is filled with air, this runs the risk that it may go flat. A microcellular wheel has a microcellular infill (similar to foam), providing you with a puncture proof wheel.

Puncture proof microcellular wheels are suitable for use on many different terrain, they can be used on cricket covers, goal posts, scoreboards etc as they will not damage soft ground and run really well on grass. The versatility of the microcellular wheels means that they can also be used on rugged terrain on areas such as building sites or farm and industrial areas. The microcellular infill guarantees a puncture proof wheel for use on equipment such as wheelbarrows, trolleys, and sack trucks whilst still ensuring the same smooth ride of a pneumatic.

If fitted with a microcellular wheel, you can guarantee you have a puncture proof trolley wheel, a puncture proof wheelbarrow wheel, and that you have puncture proof goal post wheels, in fact puncture proof whatever the application.

Rolltek supplies puncture proof microcellular wheels. The puncture proof wheels are 260mm diameter and are available with either a 20mm or 25mm roller bearing. The wheel only option is available online or to purchase the microcellular wheels in a fixed or swivel bracket please call our sales team on 01327 313125 who will be happy to discuss your requirements with you.

Rolltek’s microcellular wheels, pneumatic wheels and solid rubber tyred wheels, suitable for use as sack truck wheels or sack trolley wheels.

Sack trucks, also referred to as sack barrows, hand trucks, bag barrows or stack trucks are L shaped units usually manufactured from steel or aluminium, with 2 handles at one end, fitted with 2 wheels (these can be pneumatic wheels, microcellular wheels or solid rubber tyred wheels) either side of an axle at the base of the unit.  The unit will stand upright when loaded and unloaded, and becomes mobile when the truck is tipped backwards, and the weight is balanced over the two wheels. The lever action of a sack truck makes it easier to manually handle both heavy and bulky items. Sack trucks are used to move items from one location to another along the floor. Objects or items that are weighty, bulky or awkward to move can easily be transported by a sack truck, items can be stacked on a sack truck making it easy and safe to move 3 to 4 times the users body weight.

Sack trucks and sack trolleys as described above are classified as general purpose, but there are options for more specialist requirements such as:

· Folding; when space is limited or the trolley needs to be transported

· Stairclimber; to allow the sack trucks to be easily moved up and down stairs

· Chair Sack Trucks; for use in schools etc

· Gas Bottle Sack Trucks; for use in medical environments etc

· Heavy Duty Sack Truck; these are similar to the general trucks but tend to have a larger when and a longer toe plate.

Whether you are manufacturing sack trucks, or repairing sack trucks, Rolltek International stocks the wheels you need for all these styles of sack truck and more.  We carry in stock solid rubber tyred sack truck wheels, pneumatic sack truck wheels, and puncture proof sack truck wheels. Sizes normally used for this application are 160mm diameter to 250mm diameter wheels with a plastic or metal centre, plain bearing or roller bearing options are available. Our ranges of wheels have load capacities ranging from 120kg up to 250kg to suit many ranges of sack trucks.

The larger the wheel fitted, the easier the product is to push.  If the units are fitted with larger diameter wheels it also means the sack trucks are easier to move up and down curbs and steps. If the sack trucks are fitted with our Pneumatic wheels, or our microcellular wheels also known as a puncture proof wheel (Which has all the benefits of a pneumatic wheel, without the risk of puncturing), they can be used on rough terrain.

Micro cellular (puncture proof) and solid rubber tyred wheels are all available to purchase on our website, www.rolltek.co.uk , for our range of pneumatic wheels or other sizes, call our sales team on 01327 313125 where are sales team will be happy to discuss your requirements.

Happy New Year From Rolltek International Limited

Rolltek International would like to wish all customers, colleagues and suppliers a very happy new year. May 2012 ensure you sucess, prosperity, good health and happiness.

We look forward to working with you all.

The Rolltek Team

Rolltek International Ltd supplies a range of anti-static wheels and anti-static castors.

Rolltek’s anti-static castors include an anti-static wheel made of antistatic material, also known as conductive material which provides electrical resistance, and therefore allows static build up within a unit to be dispersed. It is important to reduce the level of static build up, to reduce the risk of static shock, this static shock is known as Electrostatic Discharge; the small spark sometimes felt when touching certain items. These may seem insignificant but the Electrostatic Discharge has to reach 3000volts before it is felt by humans, as little as 10 volts can seriously damage items such as computer chips, sensitive electronic equipment, microprocessors etc. Clean rooms, medical environments, surgical theatres, supermarkets and the electronics industry are majorly affected by these little static shocks therefore have to put several measures in place to try to alleviate them.

Rolltek can help with one of these solutions, with the supply of antistatic castors and wheels. Applying anti-static castors to a unit can help to solve the problem of Electrostatic Discharge, as the conductive material conducts (passes) static electricity and has low resistance to electrical flow, making it much harder for the static to transfer.

Rolltek’s anti-static castors are used widely in many different industries, including the following:

RETAIL

Rolltek supply an anti-static wheel designed for shopping trolleys and trolleys used in the Retail sector.  Some flooring can cause static charge to build up in shopping trolleys causing a transfer of shock to the user; this is a major concern in the Retail sector as the trolleys are being used by customers as well as staff. Installing an antistatic castor will reduce the risk of a static shock occurring.

INDUSTRIAL

Static electricity is a major cause of fires and explosions in many industries. The hazard of electrostatic spark ignition of flammable vapour can be minimized by taking actions to limit the accumulation of electrostatic charges to safe values. Using Rolltek’s antistatic castors can help to reduce the chance of these risks occurring.

For many years anti-static wheels have only been available in a black rubber material, which would mark light coloured flooring and make them and unattractive option for use in clean rooms and in medical or laboratory areas. Today, Rolltek International are offering a grey rubber tyred anti-static wheel which is non-marking, perfect for hospital and retail flooring. This non-marking material has a high load capacity with abrasion, tear and chemical resistance, balanced with a soft ride. The anti-static castor wheels we supply have less than 10⁴ ohm electric resistance. Each individual wheel is subjected to electrical testing. The temperature range of Rolltek’s anti-static castors is -20°c to +70°c.

You can purchase our antistatic castors by calling our sales team on 01327 313125, who will be happy to help with any enquiries or requirements you may have.

Flightcase Castors Available at Rolltek International

A flightcase is a container used for safely packing and transporting anything that requires protecting whilst being moved by either sea, air or on the road. Initially the primary users of flightcases were musicians and bands on tour to transport their sound and lighting equipment and their instruments. These are now used much more widely by industries such as Television, Film, The Military, Medical and many more.

The construction of a flightcase is usually sheets of plywood with a phenolic or plastic layer held together using aluminium extrusion profile and rivets; the handles and catches are often recessed. On the larger and heavier flightcases, manufacturers fit flightcase castors.

Flightcase castors are made up of a pressed steel bracket fitted with a blue elastic rubber tyre wheel. The advantage of using blue rubber wheels on flightcase castors is a fantastic material that provides a higher load capacity than standard rubber wheels, and provides good wear resistance. These are quiet running, non-marking and provide the user with a smooth soft-cushioned ride, perfect for flight cases when noise levels are a concern.

The flight case castors Rolltek supply for the flightcase industry are blue elastic tyred castors, offered in a medium duty bracket with 125mm overall height, and heavy duty bracket with 132mm overall height. Rolltek’s flightcase castors have a 200kg load rating, spread across 4 castors, this will provide you with 600kg capacity. All wheels have roller bearings and are fitted with matching blue plastic threadguards.

It is worth considering that most flightcases are custom made, if you need to refresh your flight case castors, 132mm overall height is the ‘industry norm’ for the flight case market, although we do suggest that if you are replacing flightcase castors you check the overall height (Distance from the floor to the top of the bracket).

Rolltek’s sales team can advise you on any requirement you may have for flightcase castors or alternatively if you know what you require then flight case castors can be purchased from www.rolltek.co.uk 

Rolltek’s Consultancy Capabilities

Consultancy

Rolltek International can bring added value to clients in the form of consultancy. Having in excess of 60 years experience within a multitude of markets, we can offer customised proposals for all types of mobile equipment. These include the following:

Design, development and product solutions

For all mobile equipment related to distribution, retail and automotive industries. Rolltek can make arrangements to customise each product to the needs of the end user, resulting with ‘exact’ solutions, both practically and commercially.

Distribution

• - Rollcages
• - Dollies
• - All loose equipment
• - New Projects/Solutions
• - Maintenance

Retail

• - Shopping Trolleys
• - In-store Equipment
• - Shop-fitting
• - New Projects/Solutions

Automotive

• - Boggies
• - Line-side Racking
• - Mobile Storage

Testing procedure / Health & Safety

All products will be fully compliant with associated health and safety requirements, including:

• - Documented test procedures
• - Associated warranties
• - Emphasis of safety critical items
• - Manual handling regulations
• - Equipment compatibility
• - Liaison with engineering representatives
• - Liaison with designated maintenance departments/companies

Third party procurement

Providing cost breakdown of material, transport, import duties and delivery.

National/International tendering processes

Rolltek International has a close association with worldwide castor and wheel manufacturers. With our ‘global’ knowledge we can source the best product from the most suitable manufacturer.

The Rolltek Plastic Shelf…..

In 2007, Tesco commissioned Rolltek to develop a plastic shelf, able to replace the existing metal shelf currently fitted to their fleet of roll cages. Tesco has a ‘Good Neighbourhood’ policy of wishing to reduce transmitted noise associated with logistical equipment whilst delivering to store, especially to those outside of normal working hours.

The overall effect of fitting the plastic shelving, combined with Rolltek’s composite wheel castors, reduced overall noise levels by between 5db and 7db.

The plastic shelf is maintenance free and considerably lighter than its metal derivative. Added benefits include the reduced chances of cuts or abrasions occurring to operators hands when in use. The shelf is made from high grade HDPE and approved to take a ‘safe working load’ of 200kgs, in both ambient and freezer temperatures.

During 2008/9, the plastic shelf was subsequently ‘retro-fitted’ to over 200,000 Tesco cages, and today forms part of the overall specification for Tesco roll cages.

Rolltek can bring added value to clients in the form of consultancy, as highlighted above. Having 60 years of experience within a multitude of markets, we can offer customised proposals for all types of mobile equipment. To find out more, contact our office on 01327 313125.