Panel Trucks, Made to Drawing
Panel trucks carry panels, boards, sheet and flat stock around a workshop. The uprights keep the load from slipping, and they lift out when the next load is a different size.
What we manufacture
Panel trucks are specified by deck length, upright spacing and deck surface. Those three decide whether a truck suits the stock it has to carry.
- Open-deck panel truck for steel, panels and heavy flat stock
- Carpeted-deck panel truck that protects painted or coated panels
- Removable uprights, so the truck adapts to the load size
- Short and long platform lengths
- Castor set matched to the floor and the load
The upright spacing is the number that matters: too wide and the load shifts, too narrow and the truck carries less than it could. Send the panel size and the load weight and the spacing follows.
Where panel trucks are used
- Sheet and panel storage
- Workshop and warehouse movement
- Board and door handling
- Flat-pack and carton handling
What to send with an enquiry
- Product type and a photograph, drawing or sample
- Overall length, width and height
- Working load and how the load is distributed
- Material and surface finish
- Wheel or castor requirement
- Quantity, packaging and destination
If any of these are still open, say so at enquiry stage — the review is where they get settled, and it is cheaper than discovering them after the first article.
Materials and finish
| Material | Where it is used | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon steel | The default for carts, trolleys and racks in dry workshops | Powder coating, or painted to a colour |
| Galvanized steel | Pallets, trays and storage in humid or outdoor conditions | Hot-dip galvanized by an audited partner |
| Stainless steel | Wet, washdown or corrosive environments, subject to grade review | Brushed or passivated |
Powder coating, galvanizing and plating are bulk finishing operations carried out by audited partner companies and declared as such on the quotation. Cutting, forming, welding and assembly run in Balford's own plant.
How it is made
Frames are cut, formed, welded and assembled in the same plant, so the blank size, the bend sequence and the weld fixturing are planned together. Where the product needs its own tooling, it is designed and built by Balford's own tool room.
Panel Trucks FAQ
Should a panel truck have an open deck or a carpeted deck?
The deck surface follows the load. An open steel deck suits steel sheet, panels and heavy flat stock, and it is the cheaper option. A carpeted deck protects painted, coated or polished panels from scratching in transit. Both use the same removable uprights.
Can the product be customised?
Yes. Dimensions, load capacity, deck or shelf arrangement, wheel and castor set, guardrails, handle position, colour and finish can all be changed, as long as the change is on the drawing.
What is the difference between a quotation and a drawing review?
The drawing review is where the load, the frame section, the wheel set and the finish are settled and any risk is flagged; the quotation prices that agreed design, with the capacity of the design we build stated on it.
Send Your Drawing for a DFM Review
Upload PDF, STEP, IGES or DXF at rfq.balford.net, or send a sample and a description of the handling problem. Engineering feedback is usually returned within one business day.
Related products and capabilities
Product family industrial carts and storage equipment