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Provost, designer and manufacturer of your work environment, offers you solutions to equip, fit out and organize your professional premises.
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Handling guides
How to choose your handling equipment?
Hand trucks, carts, pallet trucks...
A wide range of equipment is available to facilitate the handling of goods. Hand trucks, carts, rolls, pallet trucks, stackers, lifting tables, servants...
It's not easy to make the right choice when faced with such a diverse and varied range. That's why we help you select the right handling equipment for your activity and the products you need to move, by providing you with a range of buying guides and advice.
The different professional handling tools
In this article, you'll find a summary of the different handling equipment we offer, along with important criteria to consider when choosing the right material handling equipment.
Manual handling trucks
A forklift truck can be used for many purposes. Very useful for transporting and moving different types of loads (cartons, merchandise, bins, etc.), a transport cart will enable you to optimize your logistics flows, whatever your field of activity: retail, distribution, automotive, logistics, aeronautics, railways.
The professional cart consists of a platform, wheels and at least one backrest to facilitate pushing. It can take many forms and have several options and accessories depending on the need it has to meet.
At Provost, we offer different types of handling carts. You'll find manual carts for transporting light loads, as well as industrial carts for heavier loads. To facilitate picking, we sell a range of stackers and bin carts. Finally, to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), you can take a look at our ergonomic constant-level and motorized carts. If you're looking for electric forklift models for pallet handling, read our section on lifting equipment.
Rolls and container rolls
A roll-container is a large, wire-mesh cart for storing and transporting goods and parcels of various sizes. Practical thanks to its small footprint, the roll cart is also very robust. The roll container also enables quick and easy product picking.
Its large size provides good storage capacity, which can make it heavy and difficult to handle, so it's advisable to maneuver it with care.
We offer 2, 3 or 4-sided wire-mesh carts to suit your needs. It's also possible to fit tiers to distribute your products and goods over several levels. Our 4-sided Promax high-bay cart is fitted with a door and padlock (safety cart or safety roll) to protect your goods.
Professional hand trucks
A hand truck is a tool for moving loads, very useful for goods deliveries. A hand truck can be used in warehouses, factories, stores, etc
It consists of a backrest, wheels and a folding or non-folding shovel. As with carts, handtrucks can be very different, depending on your handling needs.
We offer standard handtrucks, but also stair-climbing handtrucks, electric handtrucks, bottle carriers, chair carriers, etc. You can equip your handtrucks with different types of wheels depending on the type of floor they are used on (technical, smooth, flat, tiled, etc.).
Servers and sideboards
Sideboards (or servants) are professional storage units for work tools. They are designed on castors for easy movement from one workstation to another. They feature castors, a tray and usually handles for easy maneuverability.
The main purpose of a tool trolley is to enable users tohave constant access to their work tools and to pick them up easily. It's an auxiliary piece of furniture for the professional workbench.
At Provost, we offer different types of tool trolleys. Choose between 2 or 3 levels, with or without drawers to store specific parts..
Handling pallets
Pallets are indispensable handling equipment for storing and transporting goods. Pallets can be found in all warehouses and factories. The advantage of the pallet is that it can be used toorganize storage (by counting goods on pallets) and, above all, as a support for moving loads.
There are several types of handling equipment for pallet transport: stackers, pallet trucks, forklift trucks, etc
We offer a wide range of pallets: European pallets, wooden pallets, plastic pallets, metal pallets, pallet collars, pallets with sideboards, etc. Please contact us for a customized pallet design. Our experts can study your specifications to meet your needs.
Pallet boxes and containers
A pallet box is a container designed for storing and transporting bulky goods and products. The great advantage of a pallet box is that it can be handled with a forklift or pallet truck. It's a very sturdy piece of equipment, able to withstand a high frequency of use. Some containers are fitted with wheels for easier movement.
Plastic pallet boxes, metal or wire mesh containers are available. Some plastic containers are specially designed for selective sorting.
Among our many container models, you'll find plastic pallet boxes on feet, on wheels or with skids (for forklift-turning). Among our wire mesh and metal containers, you'll find closed or semi-closed models (thanks to a folding door), as well as models with or without skids (transverse and longitudinal).
Electric push tractors
An electric push-pull tractor (or motorized drawbar) is a handling device that makes it easy to pull and push heavy loads (such as carts). This equipment is very easy to use, and the travel speed can be parameterized.
It is equipped with a horn and a brake system to ensure the safety of your operators and all personnel. The push tractor is an effective tool in the fight against RSI.
We have 2 models of electric push tractors for moving loads of 1000 and 1500 kg respectively.
Lifting equipment: pallet trucks, stackers and lifting tables
These 3 handling and lifting devices are designed to move or level all types of loads (pallets, cartons, etc.). A pallet truck is the most widely used tool for handling pallets. Different fork lengths are available to suit different pallet sizes. High-lift pallet trucks are also available to level your goods. Some pallet truck models are electric, while others can weigh loads for even more efficient logistics.
A stacker is ideal for fast, efficient product levelling. Different models are available, depending on maximum lift height. Stacker trucks are available in manual, semi-electric or electric versions.
A lifting table is designed to lift or lower loads of varying weights. Manual lifting is effortless, thanks to a hydraulic pump system. As with pallet trucks and stackers, electric versions are available for even easier operation.
The different criteria for choosing the right handling equipment
The type of handling
Depending on the type of handling you prefer, you won't need to choose the same equipment. Hand trucks and some carts are designed exclusively for transporting loads.
Pallets and pallet boxes are practical for storing goods, while some tools are designed for lifting heavy loads: pallet trucks, stackers and lifting tables.
Load weight and type
Depending on the weight of the load to be transported and the nature of your products, it will be necessary to determine the right handling equipment to use.
At Provost, for example, we offer trucks designed for very heavy loads, and others for lighter loads.
Likewise, the shape of the products must be taken into account: it will be difficult to move very long loads on a hand truck or a conventional cart, whereas other types of cart are designed for this type of load. For small tools, we recommend workshop trolleys or tool carts
Frequency of use
The greater the frequency of use, the more important it is to choose a sturdy, robust handling device. Some products are not suitable for intensive use, and may quickly deteriorate.
At Provost, we guarantee solid, durable products that will serve you for many years.
Safety and MSD risks
For this reason, whatever equipment you plan to use, we recommend electric models, which make many operations easier
We offer electric push tractors to facilitate pulling and pushing, electric pallet trucks / stackers / lifting tables, motorized forklifts, constant level forklifts... To find out more about MSD risks, read our guide to health and safety at work here.
Space and surface area
Depending on the amount of space you have available for your handling operations, it's worth considering which equipment will be most suitable. For example, wooden pallets are not suitable for outdoor storage, which is why we offer pallets specially designed for this purposeTo optimize space, we advise you to choose a multi-purpose equipment (storage and transport) that takes up as little space as possible. The nature of the ground is an important criterion in determining the type of wheels to use on your handling tools. We offer different types of wheels to suit your needs (puncture-proof wheels, wheels for technical floors, etc.), as well as wheels for overcoming obstacles (stairs).
Lean manufacturing for logistics flow management
Continuous improvement (also known as the Kaizen method) is a logistics flow management method designed to reduce costs and waste, save time and improve quality and safety. Continuous improvement is the main tool of lean manufacturing. The process is a 4-step cycle:
- Plan
- Implement
- Check
- Adjust
This involves constant analysis of the various production processes to optimize the management of logistics flows.
Many companies have implemented this method in their factories and warehouses. At Provost, we offer a range of material handling products to support continuous improvement. Thanks to the know-how of our experts, we can design customized handling equipment to meet your logistics needs. Please contact us to find out more.