Electric tugs for construction
Move modules, frames and trailers with one person.
From plant-room modules and rebar frames in the factory to structural steel in the fabrication shop and trailers in the yard, Tractive Power electric tugs give one operator control of heavy construction loads. Battery powered, sized to the job, and built in the UK.
4,000–30,000 kg
Wheeled loads on castors, from material trolleys to heavy plant.
TP250 to TBC30
300,000 kg
On rails with a single TP3000, for the heaviest modules and gantries.
Extra Heavy range
1 person
The operator walks behind and steers. The tug does the pushing.
Regardless of load
Moving heavy plant and modules ties up people and machines.
Construction, offsite and steel fabrication move big, awkward loads: modular units between build stations, rebar frames for concrete pads, steel beams and factory carts around the works.
Pushing them by hand is a manual handling risk the Manual Handling Operations Regulations require you to reduce, and waiting for a crane or forklift for every short move holds up the job.
Why traditional handling doesn’t fit
Cranes are precise but slow, need a team and are often busy elsewhere. Forklifts struggle with long or low loads and bring extra risk around people on foot.
Pushing by hand depends on how many people are free, with no control over force or stopping.
Where Tractive Power fits
A pedestrian electric tug puts one operator in control of each move, at walking pace.
The TP250 and TP500 handle trolleys and plant on castors. The TBC30 burden carrier takes up to 30,000 kg, and the Extra Heavy range moves up to 300,000 kg on rails with a single machine.
Where our machines work in construction
From the factory floor to the yard.
Modular units
Prefabricated plant-room modules moved between build stations.
Rebar frames
Rebar frames for concrete pads moved across the factory by wireless remote.
Brick & block
Factory carts moved around the brick works by one person.
Structural steel
Steel beams moved on dollies through the fabrication shop.
Applications
Construction: what our tugs move
Recommended for construction
Machines across the construction load range.
Not sure which machine you need? Start from your load.
Construction couplings
The right connection for your load.
Construction loads come in every shape. Every tug is fitted with the coupling that suits yours, and if none of the standard options fit, we design one around your load.
Adjustable pushpad
Straight-line pushing of loads on rails.
Roll cage coupling
Up to 250 nested cages, pushed as one
5th wheel channel
For wheeled plant, trolleys and stillages.
Quick latch
One connection point across all your trolleys.
Paper roll
Drums, reels and paper rolls
None of these fit? We design the coupling around your load. Designed in-house around your load, to your drawing.
Built for construction handling
Controlled, single-operator handling.
Single-operator control
One person walks behind and steers at walking pace. The tug supplies the force, so nobody has to push.
Battery powered
No fumes and quiet running indoors. A full recharge takes 8 hours, so it charges overnight.
Backed by a UK service team
Built in the UK, with a 2-year warranty and a UK service team for servicing and repairs.
Construction handling FAQs
The questions construction teams ask us.
What's the heaviest load you can move?
On castors, the TP500 moves up to 8,000 kg and the TBC30 up to 30,000 kg. On rails, the TP1000 moves up to 100,000 kg, the TP2000 200,000 kg and the TP3000 300,000 kg.
Can the tugs work outdoors?
Tell us about your surfaces, slopes and weather and we will confirm the right machine and drive wheels for the job.
Can you build a tug around our load?
Yes. Our team designs couplings and machines in-house around your load, to your drawing if you have one.
Does pushing a heavy load by hand count as manual handling?
Yes. Pushing and pulling count as manual handling under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, so the risk has to be assessed and reduced as far as reasonably practicable. A tug takes most of the push force out of the job.
How long does charging take?
A full recharge takes 8 hours, so a tug can charge overnight and be ready for the next shift.
Can you look at our site first?
Yes. We visit, walk the routes and look at your loads before recommending a machine and coupling.
Will a Tractive Power tug move your load?
Tell us what you’re moving, how heavy it gets and what it runs on. We’ll tell you which tug and coupling will do the job.
Rather talk it through? Call 01538 360372.
