Castors may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about business mobility, but they’re very much connected. From factory kitting carts and machine shop workbenches, to bulk bins and bakery trolleys, castors are responsible for keeping all kinds of material moving.
They’re not just about mobility, though. Castors make it easier to quickly reorganize and reconfigure workspaces. A laboratory workstation or a retail display can be repositioned faster and brought back into service sooner when it’s on wheels than if several people needed to partially disassemble, transport, and then reassemble it all over again.
Suffice it to say, castors and wheels help make moving all kinds of materials and equipment safer and more convenient than if they needed to be moved manually. They’re not just for oversized tool boxes or the occasional office chair; and no matter what type of technical or institutional equipment you have that needs to be made mobile, there’s a set of wheels that’ll fit it perfectly.
Richmond Builds Standard Castors for Specialised Jobs
Since 1958, high-quality Richmond castors and wheels have been an ever-present fixture at practically every farm, factory and mining facility in Australia where keeping things moving is a necessity. From a start-up that begins by manufacturing simple pallet jacks and stillage trucks, to a product line that now includes over 8000 unique product transport offerings, Richmond is synonymous with a full range of material handling and lifting products that include:
· Skates and dollies;
· Industrial trolleys and hand trucks;
· Ladders and stepping stools;
· Roll cages and wheelbarrows; and,
· Conveyor systems.
Most commonly though, Richmond is known for their expertise in manufacturing long-lasting, high precision castors, wheels, and rollers that can be fitted to any device or piece of equipment that a user might have. From cost-conscious home and office furniture castors, to heavy duty AS / NZS 1576 approved scaffolding castors, Richmond castor wheels can be tailored to satisfy any mobility solution. However, nowhere is their ability to produce specialised wheels for standardised jobs more evident than in the health and food-grade industries where their Elite, Excel, and Durolite lines are the basis of quality castor design.
Elite Series Castors Make it Easy to Keep Equipment Clean
Hospitals, along with medical and healthcare facilities are among the most demanding establishments anywhere when it comes to mobile equipment. Even the wheels on delivery carts and trucks need to be easy to sanitize, and capable of functioning for months with minimal maintenance. That’s why Richmond Elite castors are preferred wherever hygiene and cleanliness are paramount.
Durable Elite castors are manufactured with 304-grade stainless steel and come in both rigid, and swivel wheel/baseplate configurations. These lightweight, easy-to-clean castors are designed especially for transporters that are used in clean environments, and are comprised of features that include:
· Design ratings for 50kg or 100kg capacities;
· Full nylon, poly/nylon-centred, or rebound rubber wheels;
· Wheel diameters from 50mm – 125mm;
· Wheel height clearances from 70mm – 161mm; and,
· Low maintenance plain, or stainless steel ball bearings.
Wheel brakes and directional wheel locks also help to round out the characteristics of a castor that’s designed not to corrode or discolor from the cleaning solutions or high temperature / high pressure hose downs that are required for proper disinfection.
No Problems From Water or Moisture With Excel Series Castors
Cold chain storage and transport of meats and produce are big business in Australia, and the handling and transport equipment used in these areas are regularly exposed to water and moisture from the environment and frequent wash down schedules. These are the conditions that heavy-duty Richmond Excel castors are made for.
Excel series castors are also crafted from stainless steel, and boast options include:
· Full nylon, glass-filled nylon, poly, rebound poly, or high temp polymer wheels;
· Wheel diameters from 100mm – 200mm;
· Wheel height clearances from 133mm – 237mm;
· Plain or stainless steel ball, or DU® high / low temp bearings; and
· Wheel swivel locks and brakes.
Users that need the wet condition reliability that Excel castors have to offer will appreciate that they’re available in both 400kg capacity plate castor, and highly versatile 200 – 300kg capacity bolt castor configurations. The expanding bolt hole on Excel bolt castors makes them the natural choice for easily upgrading the threaded, or insert style pintles they many user have on their standard cold storage racks, trolleys, and carts.
Flexible, Durable Mobility with Zinc Durolite Series Castors
Zinc Durolites are the Richmond castors Australia turns to for bringing mobility to the instantly configurable equipment used in technical and medical settings. From IV and ventilator stands, to mobile lab and desk carts, the light maneuverability of Durolite castors makes mobility in close confines safe and effortless.
With availability in either swivel, rigid, and braked configurations, 100kg capacity Durolite castors share the core durability qualities that are found on other Richmond castors, but with an expanded range of wheel options that include:
· Full nylon, glass-filled nylon, and poly / nylon-centred;
· Institutional and rebound rubber;
· High-temperature polymer;
· Anti-static; and,
· Aluminium.
With their wide selection of wheels and plain, or high/low temp bearing alternatives, Durolite castors are suitable for a range of surfaces and activities that other castors simply don’t have the flexibility to function well in. That makes them the ideal castor for both niche and specialty equipment that needs to durable as well as mobile.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, mobility is a key part of every home, office, and business. There are always items that need to remain mobile, or capable of being reliably transported from one location to the next. The fact is, although you may already have the equipment to do it, the wheels on that equipment may not be in the best condition, or even the best suited for the job.
If your transportation and material handling needs revolve around mobility solutions that need to be reliable and easy to clean at all times, high quality Richmond castors and wheels can help you satisfy both objectives. They’re the equipment upgrade you need to keep your material moving.
