Material Handling Industry

Material handling casters carry the loads that move product through a warehouse or plant: pallet trolleys, line-side racks, conveyors, AGV support frames and mobile workbenches. The range on this page spans 1 to 8 inch wheel sizes with ratings from 15kg to 350kg per wheel, covering everything from a light parts trolley to a fully loaded rack on four 8 inch units.

The first selection rule is the load calculation. Take the maximum loaded weight, divide by the number of casters, and multiply by a safety factor of 2.5 for swivel casters on hard floors. A 600kg loaded racking unit on four casters needs a 375kg rating per wheel, which means 6-8 inch heavy wheels; a 150kg tote trolley runs comfortably on 4 inch units rated 100-160kg.

Wheel material is decided by the floor and the noise requirement. TPR is the default for indoor handling: quiet, low rolling resistance, and it does not mark painted or resin floors. TPU wheels add abrasion resistance for high-cycle routes and forklift traffic zones. Rubber wheels handle heavier single-wheel loads and mixed surfaces such as concrete with grit. For outdoor or dock areas, check the load tables for each size before ordering.

Mounting follows the trolley design. Top plate casters with 2 or 4 holes fit most welded trolley frames and allow fast field replacement. Threaded stem casters (M10-M16) are used on cast-iron bases, mobile tool chests and some conveyor support legs where tapping holes is standard. Rigid plus swivel pairing keeps long racks tracking straight: rigid at the front, swivel at the rear.

Sumatic produces its own forks, bearings and wheels, so a material handling programme can be built to one specification across 01 and 011 series, with custom finishes (zinc, nickel, black epoxy) for asset identification. OEM customers can also get branded plates, laser marking and packaged sets per trolley.

Send the loaded weight, floor type and mounting detail through the RFQ form and we will return a recommended set with load tables and pricing. Quotations for standard sizes are typically issued the same day.