Electric tugs for retail
Move roll cages and trolleys with one person.
From trains of roll cages in the yard to bread trays and nested cages back of house, Tractive Power electric tugs take the push out of retail and food logistics. Battery powered, quiet indoors, and built in the UK.
1,000–4,000 kg
Wheeled loads on castors, from a single roll cage to a train of cages.
TT50 to TP250
1 person
The operator walks behind and steers. The tug does the pushing.
Regardless of load
8 hours
For a full recharge, so the tug charges overnight between shifts.
Battery powered
Every roll cage pushed by hand is a manual handling risk.
Retail runs on roll cages: marshalled in the distribution centre, loaded onto vehicles and moved from the bay to the shop floor.
Starting, steering and stopping loaded cages all shift adds up to strain on staff, and it is 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 and ramps. Sending two people to move a heavy cage doubles the labour without removing the risk.
Forklifts and ride-on tractors are too big for back-of-store areas, and they bring extra risk around people on foot.
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.
The TT50 handles single cages and tight back-of-store spaces. The TT100 and TP250 take heavier trains of cages, and the TP250 can be fitted with the roll cage coupling to push nested cages as one load.
Where our machines work in retail
From the distribution centre to the shop floor.
Roll cage trains
Trains of loaded roll cages moved across the yard to the dock.
Bread trays
Stacked bread trays moved from the bakery to dispatch.
Nested cages
Empty nested roll cages returned as one load.
Store roll cages
Single roll cages moved from the bay to the shop floor.
Applications
Retail: what our tugs move
TT50 · TT100Moving roll cages in supermarkets and distribution centres
One person moves loaded roll cages from goods-in to the shop floor, without the pushing and pulling.Read more
TP250 · TP500Replacing forklifts for wheeled loads in warehouses
If the load is already on wheels, a pedestrian electric tug can take over the job the forklift has been doing.Read moreRecommended for retail
Tugs for retail roll cages.
Not sure which machine you need? Start from your load.
Retail couplings
The right connection for your cages.
Every tug is fitted with the coupling that suits your cages and trolleys, and if none of the standard options fit, we design one around your load.
Adjustable pushpad
Railed trolleys and production lines
Roll cage coupling
Nested roll cages pushed as one load (TP250).
5th wheel channel
For wheeled trolleys, dollies and stillages.
Quick latch
One connection point across all your 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 load, to your drawing.
Built for retail handling
Quiet, 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.
Retail handling FAQs
The questions retail teams ask us.
Which tug do I need for roll cages?
It depends on the heaviest load. The TT50 moves up to 1,000 kg on castors, the TT100 2,000 kg and the TP250 4,000 kg. Tell us the load and we will recommend the right one.
Can a tug push nested roll cages?
Yes. With the roll cage coupling, the TP250 pushes a train of nested roll cages as one load.
Will a tug fit in a back-of-store area?
The TT50 is our most compact tug, built for tight spaces. Send us your doorway and corridor sizes and we will confirm the fit.
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.
