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Warehouse Tugger Carts Vs. Manual Carts


Cart tugger train systems require planning and a substantial upfront investment, but they’re enormously beneficial for certain types of operations. If your facility relies on manual order picking, traditional material handling equipment (MHE) might be sufficient.

Warehouse Tugger Carts Vs. Manual Carts

Even so, if you’re outfitting a warehouse, storage facility, manufacturing plant, or any other type of industrial or commercial operation, you should certainly consider whether warehouse tugger carts might streamline your workflow.

Solus Group carries an extensive selection of MHE, including manual carts and carts designed for tugger trains. In this article, we’ll identify a few use cases for industrial tugger carts and provide tips for purchasing.

Warehouse Tugger Carts: Use Cases and Advantages

Tugger carts (or custom material handling trains) provide flexibility while reducing the need for manual material handling. Carts are connected with a tow bar, then moved with an electric tugger through your facility on a predetermined route.

So, why not just use forklifts? Electric cart tuggers are fairly small, maneuverable, and versatile. They’re easy to operate, ergonomic, and capable of transporting more materials at one time. 

Modular carts can be used to transport materials of various dimensions and weights. That might include pallets and other heavy items: Electric tuggers like the Nu-Star PowerPusher® can haul up to 50,000 pounds. With appropriate planning, that “milk run" approach to intralogistics can dramatically improve efficiency.

Common use cases for warehouse tugger cart trains include:

  • Just-in-Time (JIT) Manufacturing - Delivering components to assembly lines precisely when needed, minimizing inventory and maximizing efficiency.  
  • Order Fulfillment in Warehouses - Transporting picked items from various locations to packing and shipping areas, which streamlines the fulfillment process.  
  • Material Handling in Manufacturing - Moving raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods between production stages.  
  • Stock Replenishment in Retail - Efficiently restocking shelves in large supermarkets or retail stores, especially during peak hours.

The only downside: Tugger carts require a larger upfront investment than basic material handling carts. They may also be seen as “less efficient" if you haven’t planned the delivery route carefully (but as we’ll discuss shortly, powered equipment pays off over time). 

Related: Modular Carts for Custom Material Handling Trains

Manual Material Handling Carts: Better for Lightweight, Short-Distance Handling

The primary disadvantage of manual material handling is right there in the name: It’s manual, and manual efforts introduce ergonomic risks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ergonomic injuries comprise 32% of all worker injury and illness cases in the United States — and given that the average work injury cost is around $1040, ergonomics should be a primary concern for every employer. 

Engineering can limit those risks, but ultimately, workers must transport products or materials by pushing, pulling, or lifting. For that reason, we recommend manual carts for situations in which tugger trains are infeasible or prohibitively expensive. 

Some common use cases include:

  • Order Picking - Utilizing individual carts for picking items within a specific zone or area of a warehouse.  
  • Short-Distance Transport - Moving smaller loads over short distances, such as within a workstation or between adjacent areas.
  • Stockroom Organization - Storing and organizing tools, parts, or supplies in a stockroom or workshop.
  • Retail Stock Replenishment - Manually moving smaller quantities of goods from stockrooms to shelves.
  • Light-Duty Applications - Tasks that don't require heavy loads or long distances, such as moving files or office supplies.

Manual carts generally have lower upfront costs and require less planning for implementation.Over time, however, they’re significantly less efficient — and we can’t overstate the importance of ergonomics in efficient, high-throughput workflows. 

Find the Best Material Handling Solutions for Your Operation

A fully optimized facility will usually have a combination of manual and electric MHE. You might use a basic Utility Cart for picking individual orders, but assign larger fulfillment tasks to the tugger train. 

But by investing in electric MHE, you can create a much more efficient, ergonomically sound workflow. Solus Group can help: We carry a full selection of tugger carts, industrial trailers, and manual material handling solutions. 

Tugger carts from Solus Group include:

Quad Steer Tugger Carts (TT-QS)

These carts use a quad-steer mechanism that creates a predictable follow pattern, so operators can concentrate on where they're going. They're built with heavy-duty steel for a standard load capacity of 2,000 lbs., and custom units are available to handle higher capacities. 

Dual Steer Tugger Carts (TT-DS)

Dual Steer carts offer a good balance of ergonomics for manual use and reliable tracking when used in a tugger train. The front casters swivel while the rear casters are fixed. That provides excellent maneuverability, but with less precision than Center Steer units. 

Center Steer Tugger Carts (TT-CS)

Center Steer carts are highly maneuverable thanks to a fifth caster in the center of the frame. This center wheel is slightly larger than the other wheels, which lets the unit pivot in place. It’s an excellent option for navigating narrow aisles and making tight turns, even when multiple carts are connected.

Industrial Trailers (IT)

Industrial Trailers are versatile and can be used for order picking, line feeding, and putaway tasks. They have three slotted metal shelves that can each hold up to 100 lbs. With front and rear hitches, vertical push/pull bars, and welded fork pockets, they're ideal for tugger train applications.

All products can be customized to meet your facility’s needs. To start building a custom material handling flow for your operation, call (314) 696-0200 or click here to submit a request online.


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