Platform and Wagon Trucks, Made to Drawing
Platform and wagon trucks move heavy or bulky loads on a flat deck, with a swivel handle so the operator steers the load instead of carrying it.
What we manufacture
The deck material and the wheel arrangement are the two decisions on a platform truck.
- Wagon truck with a kiln-dried hardwood deck
- All-steel platform truck for the roughest duty
- Plastic-deck platform truck: non-marking, non-rusting, easy to wash
- Reinforced deck with longitudinal stiffeners
- Swivel handle, with fixed and swivel wheels in the combination the floor needs
A hardwood deck takes shock loading and stays quiet; a steel deck survives rough treatment and washes down; a moulded plastic deck is the answer where the floor must not be marked or the truck has to be hosed off.
Where platform and wagon trucks are used
- Heavy components
- Palletized and boxed goods
- Assembly and staging areas
- Damp or outdoor areas
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.
Platform and Wagon Trucks FAQ
Which deck should a platform truck have?
Hardwood for heavy shock loads on a dry floor, steel for rough duty or high point loads, and a moulded plastic deck where the truck is washed down or the floor surface must not be marked. The frame underneath is welded steel in all three cases.
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