Electric tugs for healthcare & NHS
Move roll cages and trolleys with one person.
From medical stock leaving goods-in to linen, waste and catering trolleys on the wards, Tractive Power electric tugs take the push out of hospital logistics. Compact, battery-powered, quiet enough for patient areas, and built in the UK.
1,000–2,000 kg
Wheeled loads on castors, from a single roll cage to a train of trolleys.
TT50 and TT100
1 person
The operator walks behind and steers. The tug does the pushing.
Regardless of load
1.4 m
Turning circle on a 125 kg tug, so it fits corridors, lifts and goods-in bays.
Same compact frame on both
Every roll cage pushed by hand is a manual handling risk.
Hospital logistics never stops. Medical stock, linen, waste and catering all move on wheels, often up ramps, through fire doors and along long corridors.
Each push looks small, but starting, stopping and steering loaded cages all day adds up. It means strain on staff, time away from other work, and a risk the Manual Handling Operations Regulations require you to reduce.
Why traditional handling doesn’t fit
Pushing by hand depends on whoever is on shift, with no control over force or speed on slopes. Sending two people to move a heavy cage doubles the labour without removing the risk.
Tow tractors and ride-on vehicles are too big for busy corridors, lifts and patient areas.
Where Tractive Power fits
A pedestrian electric tug puts one operator in full control: they walk behind and steer, and the tug supplies the force. Staff at one NHS Trust hospital now link up to three roll cages and move them in a single trip.
Battery power means no fumes and quiet running indoors, and every tug is fitted with the coupling that suits your cages and trolleys.
Where our machines work in healthcare & nhs
From goods-in to the wards.
Roll cages & goods-in
Medical stock from the delivery bay to departments across the site.
Linen & stores
Roll cages of linen and stores moved between departments.
Equipment trolleys
Medical equipment trolleys moved between departments by one person.
Beds & equipment
Hospital beds and equipment moved between departments by one person.
Applications
Healthcare & NHS: what our tugs move
Recommended for healthcare & nhs
Two compact tugs for hospital loads.
Not sure which machine you need? Start from your load.
Healthcare & NHS couplings
The right connection for your cages and trolleys.
Hospital loads vary from site to site. 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 trolleys and carts.
Roll cage coupling
Up to 250 nested cages, pushed as one
5th wheel channel
For wheeled loads, stillages and A-frames.
Quick latch
One connection point across your roll cages and trolleys.
Paper roll
Drums, reels and paper rolls
None of these fit? We design the coupling around your load. Designed in-house around your cage or trolley.
Built for healthcare & nhs handling
Safe, quiet, single-operator handling.
Quiet, zero-emission running
Battery powered, so there are no fumes and very little noise in wards, corridors and patient areas.
Made for tight spaces
At 395 mm wide with a 1.4 m turning circle, the TT50 fits corridors, lifts and goods-in bays.
Backed by a UK service team
A 2-year warranty, spare parts held in Cheddleton and remote diagnostics if something needs checking.
Healthcare & NHS handling FAQs
The questions hospital teams ask us.
Can an electric tug move hospital roll cages?
Yes. The TT50 moves wheeled loads up to 1,000 kg on castors and the TT100 up to 2,000 kg, with one person walking behind. At one NHS Trust hospital, staff link up to three roll cages and move them in a single trip.
Is it safe to use in corridors and patient areas?
The TT50 and TT100 are battery powered and pedestrian operated, so there are no fumes and the operator stays in control at walking pace. With a 1.4 m turning circle they suit corridors, lifts and goods-in areas.
Does pushing a roll cage 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.
Which do I need, the TT50 or the TT100?
They share the same compact frame. Choose the TT50 for single roll cages and light trolleys up to 1,000 kg on castors, and the TT100 for longer trains and heavier carts up to 2,000 kg.
How long does charging take?
A full recharge takes 8 hours, so the 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 cages and trolleys before recommending a tug 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.
