Why quality matters in a castor wheel
We think that the world should keep demanding high quality standards in every category. Unfortunately there are examples where quality has gone downhill - both in commercial and consumer goods.
Castor wheels like any category can vary greatly product to product. When you consider what a castor wheel is used for in many applications, including moving expensive, precious goods, it makes sense to demand castors are up to the task - every day. Here’s just some reasons why quality in castors matters to us and to the industries we support.
You want the castor to manage the weight of the load
If a castor isn’t up to safely and easily holding your load, then it’s not doing its job. Good quality castors made from high grade materials and tight manufacturing tolerances will typically satisfy their rated weight capacities in typical use.
Loads will be shifting onto and off of the equipment frequently in most scenarios. That means you want a castor wheel to handle both optimal weight distribution and uneven short term weight loads - as well as the sudden force this puts onto the castor.
It’s a good idea to not load up your castors to exactly the combined weight rating (e.g. 100kg x4 wheels capacity with 400kg load), as this doesn’t account for the above loading force.
More durable means fewer replacements
Durability and longevity are often forgotten about in this day and age. A well-built castor wheel using industrial-grade materials will bring a number of benefits in terms of durability:
- You won’t need to spend money on as many replacement castors as they’ll last for longer.
- You/your business is reducing environmental impact (less shipping, recycling, discarding etc) with a castor that lasts for longer.
- Reduces the downtime of that equipment required when switching out a castor.
- Fewer installation jobs for your busy team to have to do.
Transporting precious cargo needs a castor you can depend on
Many of the loads our customers move around on a daily basis are fragile or expensive. Spills and accidents can be costly to the business due to spoiled product. They can also create a safety hazard for workers.
A good quality castor wheel helps ensure that the load is going to be stable, supported and less likely to experience an equipment failure. Some castor wheels like our pneumatic options are excellent for protecting loads, absorbing uneven terrain and shock better than solid wheel options.
Both the castor and the mounting plate must be reliable to avoid expensive accidents - something that a high quality option more commonly offers over cheaply made wheels.
Better castors often mean easier to maneuver
Moving a load around a factory, loading zone or building site can really wear on the team when it’s hard to push and steer. This can create inefficiencies and hazards. High-grade castor wheels aren’t just made from durable materials, but their very design is intended to be smooth and maneuverable.
It’s not an absolute rule for any castor wheel you find. But Wheelco’s range specifically is made of up castors that we’ve carefully tested and quality controlled - confidently supplying you with options that make moving the load easy.
Good, sturdy mounting of the castor wheel to the load
It probably goes without saying that anything less than a strong mount of castor to load presents possible issues.
Mounting a castor can be done in a variety of ways from stem mounted to swivel to top plate. These will be used to accommodate different equipment and furniture. Regardless of the mounting style, it’s important that castors’ mounting it’s manufactured to a high standard in order to enable a tight, reassuring fit. Better quality castors also make for an easier installation.
Resistance to temperatures and chemicals
For some use cases, equipment must be wheeled through a corrosive environment or simply somewhere with a lot of water exposure - you’ll find Wheelco castors in places like washdown areas, beverage manufacturing and areas where dangerous chemicals are used.
It’s also common to have to wheel a load in a particularly cold or hot environment depending on the application.
A good quality castor wheel that’s designed to be corrosion resistant and built with weather resistant materials simply helps get the job done easier. Wheelco sells castors that are specifically designed for these sorts of jobs - and you can always chat to our team if you have special requirements.
Wheelco only supplies high quality castor wheels
At Wheelco, we don’t believe there’s ever a reason to sacrifice quality. Both our customer service and products live our values around quality and we’re proud to be known for this amongst our customers. Browse our online shop, build a quote or get in touch with our friendly team to help you choose the right castor wheel for your job.
