In defiance of the trend towards cheap steel Chinese trolleys, one delivery driver has spent hundreds of dollars per trolley on an aluminium model that he says has saved him money (and his back).
When Melbourne beverage distributor Shaun Mays took an Expresso hand truck out for a trial run, it saved him so much time and effort that he never gave it back. Three years on, he says it’s saved him money, too.
“I was only supposed to have it for a week,” Mays says. “But the Expresso was half as light as anything I had ever used and was making life so easy that I ended up keeping it for six weeks.”
“They finally caught up with me and I arranged to purchase it from there because I just couldn’t go back to the old way of doing things.”
Half the weight, slides up steps
Before Mays switched to Expresso’s light, ergonomic, modular hand trucks he was using traditional steel trolleys which he calls “big and heavy and a waste of time.”
Expresso’s hand trucks are made of elliptical aluminium and composite materials, making them up 50 per cent lighter than steel.
Yet, the hand trucks achieve higher load ratings due, in part, to their comfort, ease of manoeuvrability and versatile design.
“The design of the hand truck makes for easier lifting — you can have it fully loaded and pull it back with one hand,” Mays explains.
“It saves a lot of time and pressure on your back. The slide rails on the back of the truck make for easier access into shops.”
“If they have steps, you use the slide just to go right over the steps instead of going up each step with the wheel,” he says.
The slide is just one of the components of Expresso’s modular system that can be added to suit specific needs and the items being transported.
The hand truck range includes a variety of foot plates, ergonomic handles with moulded knuckle guards, skids and other accessories.
And, the modular design means parts are readily replaceable because each component is available as a spare and can be easily changed.
No breakdowns or flat tyres in three years
The simplicity of Expresso repairs is almost academic for Shaun though – after nearly three years of hard work, Shaun says his Expresso hand trucks remain in top condition.
Better still, he hasn’t needed to replace any parts due to wear.
“I go to about 500 different outlets per week and even the tyres on these Expresso trucks suit what we do,” Mays says.
“They go across gravel or sharp things in a parking lot and they don’t pick up anything. I haven’t had to repair it for a tyre puncture yet.”
Saved time and his back
Shaun Mays says he was sceptical about buying a more costly aluminium hand truck over a cheap steel trolley at first. But he now owns several Expresso hand trucks and has introduced the products to other beverage distributors.
“They’re more expensive but I believe in six months, they pay for themselves with all the time and effort you save,” he says.
“They are lighter and stronger and work is just so much easier. The hand trucks are the perfect height for what we need.”
“We can stack 15 slabs of drinks on there at any one time and it’s easy. So, if you’re like me, you can even save on massage bills because you’re going to have less back strain,” he says.
Why push a heavy trolley?
While the lightweight, ergonomic, aluminium hand trucks are now catching on in Melbourne, Expresso has been a favourite in Europe for more than 50 years. Expresso ensures safe, strain-relieving and efficient goods handling and transport.
Mays says with all the different designs that suit different people and jobs, he recommends the Expresso hand trolley to everyone.
“It just makes life easier — especially with all the OH&S issues. Why push a heavy trolley when you can push a light one that saves you time, money and effort?”
To test drive an Expresso and see how much easier goods transport and handling can be, contact:
Lite Trucks Australia
1300 882 540
sales@litetrucks.com.au