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Platform Truck: Purchasing Tips For Warehouse Material Handling

by Luke Lawson

Material handling equipment is vital if you have a warehouse and move a lot of products every day. One of the most important is a platform truck—a four-wheeled structure without sides that can support large products. If you need one for your warehouse, use this buying guide. 

Select a Material

You can find platform trucks made from a lot of different materials, including metal, plastic, and wood. Just focus on a material choice that fits with your budget, as well as material handling operations. For instance, if you want a platform that can hold up for years, a metal variety can satisfy these durability needs.

Whereas if you need a cost-effective platform truck that supports relatively smaller products that don't weigh much, plastic might be a great material choice. If you're not sure, you might rent a couple of different options to see what material works best.

Consider a Removable Handle

If you want added versatility out of a platform truck for material handling operations, you might look for a model with a handle that you can completely remove. What this does is give you more space to work with. You can set up large materials on the truck and subsequently move them to different areas of your warehouse with added control. 

You just need to make sure the removable handle comes with quality fasteners that you know will keep this part firm for when it's needed to move materials. Then you'll have a dynamic platform truck to use with all sorts of warehouse materials.

Put Ample Focus on the Wheels 

In terms of movement, put ample focus on the type of wheels that come with platform trucks. You might even want to test a couple of platform trucks out in real time so that you know exactly what the wheels offer in terms of how smooth they roll and the directions they can support.

Finally, you might look for platform truck wheels that have a lockable design. Then if you need to keep this truck in one place while it has materials on it, you can just lock the wheels and the truck won't go anywhere. 

You can move heavy materials around a warehouse environment with safety and precision if you rely on platform trucks. The one you buy from a supplier will work great long-term if you verify key details, such as quality material, optimal movement, and other practical features.

Contact a local equipment supplier to learn more about material handling equipment.

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