The hand truck started out as a relatively simple piece of equipment, able to carry several boxes or a large piece of equipment in an upright manner simply by leaning back on two wheels. The simplicity of the product was something that resonated with commercial and industrial business owners at first, but many of them soon decided that the product needed to be a bit more versatile and sophisticated to meet their growing demands. As equipment got bigger and heavier, and as regulations got stricter concerning worker safety, hand trucks evolved to meet the changing needs of the industry.
Constant evolution has led the hand truck to take on a wide variety of different form in today’s workplaces, from basic models to those capable of converting to different forms and handling major appliances.
The Starting Point: A Basic Hand Truck
The most basic hand trucks currently on the market are those that can be considered the “original” model. These hand trucks are a few feet tall and have either a shallow or deep platform that sits on the floor. With two wheels at the back, they can handle loads of varying heights, weights, and widths, as rated by the original manufacturer at the time of purchase.
Basic hand trucks have “evolved” a bit on their own, at least in terms of the materials used to create them. Models are available today in both aluminum and stainless steel, and they come with slightly different looks based on their capacity and their intended function within the workplace.
Convertible Hand Trucks: The Next Phase of the Evolution
The key thing that forces evolution is the requirement for something to adapt to a new environment. Such a requirement can clearly be seen in today’s convertible hand trucks, which can serve as both an upright hand truck and a flat, platform-style cart that can be used to transport equipment throughout a facility. These hand trucks were developed to support equipment on both sides and give business owners a bit more peace of mind throughout the day.
Though these trucks often have very high weight capacities and represent a significant improvement over their more basic counterparts, they are merely a stepping-stone to larger and more powerful models that are currently in use around the world.
Appliance Hand Trucks: The Big Hand Truck on Campus
Finally, appliance hand trucks represent the largest and most improved hand truck model currently on the market. Their seriously large size and heavy weight capacity makes them perfect for moving very large appliances, as well as retail store shelves and certain types of power equipment within an industrial facility. These models are fully evolved to meet today’s most challenging requirements.
Douglas Equipment Has Kept Pace with Hand Truck Evolution
At Douglas Equipment, we’ve been stocking our shelves full of all kinds of hand trucks for several decades. We understand the needs of our customers well, and we give them what they need without forcing them to compromise their needs or peace of mind. Get in touch with us today to see how our long line of hand trucks can take your business to the next level.
If you have any questions or looking for further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. It is our pleasure to help you.
