Electric tugs for paper & cable
Move paper rolls and cable drums with one person.
From reels in the paper mill to cable drums in the warehouse, Tractive Power electric tugs give one operator control of heavy, round loads. Battery powered, fitted with the right coupling, and built in the UK.
4,000–30,000 kg
Wheeled loads on castors, from reel trolleys to heavy drum carriers.
TP250 to TBC30
300,000 kg
On rails with a single TP3000, for the heaviest reels and machinery.
Extra Heavy range
1 person
The operator walks behind and steers. The tug does the pushing.
Regardless of load
Rolling heavy reels and drums by hand is a serious risk.
Paper mills, converters and cable makers move heavy round loads all day: parent reels, finished rolls and cable drums between machines, stores and dispatch.
Getting a heavy reel or drum moving by hand is hard to control and harder to stop. It is a manual handling risk the Manual Handling Operations Regulations require you to reduce.
Why traditional handling doesn’t fit
Rolling by hand depends on whoever is on shift, with no control over force, speed or stopping. Forklifts with clamps need wide aisles and bring extra risk around people on foot.
Overhead cranes are slow for short moves and often busy elsewhere.
Where Tractive Power fits
A pedestrian electric tug puts one operator in control of each move, at walking pace.
With the paper roll coupling, the TP250 and larger tugs move rolls and drums on their circumference. Heavier loads on trolleys or rails go to the TP500, TBC30 or the Extra Heavy range.
Where our machines work in paper & cable
From the machine to dispatch.
Paper rolls
Parent reels moved on their circumference in the board mill.
Cable drums
Loaded cable drum trailers towed around the depot yard.
Reel trolleys
Reel and drum trolleys moved between machines.
Machinery
Machinery trolleys and spares moved around the mill.
Applications
Paper & cable: what our tugs move
Recommended for paper & cable
Machines for paper and cable loads.
Not sure which machine you need? Start from your load.
Paper & cable couplings
The right connection for round loads.
Round loads need the right interface. Every tug is fitted with the coupling that suits your reels, drums or trolleys, 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 reel trolleys and drum carriers.
Quick latch
Standardised across your trolleys
Paper roll
Rolls and cable drums moved on their circumference (TP250 and above).
None of these fit? We design the coupling around your load. Designed in-house around your load, to your drawing.
Built for paper & cable 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.
Paper & cable handling FAQs
The questions paper and cable teams ask us.
Can an electric tug move a paper roll or cable drum?
Yes. With the paper roll coupling, the TP250 and larger tugs move rolls and drums on their circumference, with one operator walking behind.
Which tug do I need?
It depends on the heaviest load and whether it is on the floor, a trolley or rails. On castors, the TP250 moves up to 4,000 kg, the TP500 8,000 kg and the TBC30 30,000 kg. Tell us the load and we will recommend the right one.
What's the heaviest load you can move?
On rails, the TP1000 moves up to 100,000 kg, the TP2000 200,000 kg and the TP3000 300,000 kg with a single machine.
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.
What if none of the standard couplings fit?
We design one. Our team builds couplings in-house around your trolley, cart or load, to your drawing if you have one.
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.
