As a business owner, you’ll know that every penny you spend is valuable, and every penny that you waste is one you can never get back. That’s why when you’re buying wholesale casters for your business needs; you need to know that you’re purchasing your casters from a reputable source.
The best way of doing this is to pre-arm yourself with a little bit of knowledge. That way when you come to purchase your casters, if the company you’re purchasing from genuinely ‘talks the talk’ then you’ll know they can be trusted. If they are helpful and work with you to come to a mutual solution, then you’ll know you made the right choice. If they try and ‘bamboozle’ you with inappropriate technicalities, then you might want to consider moving your business elsewhere.
So, you really ought to know what you’re doing when it comes to casters so you can select the best for choice for your business. Your potential supplier should not, however, expect you to be a ‘caster expert’.
A Wheel and a Caster – Definitely Not the Same Thing
You may wonder what the actual difference is between a wheel and a caster. They do, after all, provide precisely the same function – so what is the difference?
First up, the most common definition of a wheel is a circular object that rolls. The wheel rotates on a central axle or shaft. Wheels can be solid or spiked like a bicycle wheel, and are usually made of a single material – metal, rubber or nylon. Larger wheels can be made from a combination of materials.
So that’s a wheel – not too complicated, is it? So what’s a caster?
Just to make matters confusing, the main component of a caster is a wheel. The wheel is not attached directly to the item it is providing traction for. The wheel is attached to the caster, and then the caster is attached to the item. The part of the caster that the wheel is attached to is called the frame, and the frame provides the solid part through which the axle of the wheel passes. The wheel is then attached to the frame via a bolt, allowing it to move freely.
Two Main Types of Functional Casters
There are two main types of functional casters – rigid casters and swivel casters. A rigid caster is one where the frame is bolted firmly onto the base of the trolley or other object to be moved. Because such casters are rigid, they do not offer a great deal of maneuverability. You should only go with rigid casters if the items you provide traction for do not require high maneuverability
The much more common type of caster is the swivel caster. The mounting plate of the caster is attached to a swivel bearing, which means that the caster has full maneuverability. Each caster on an object can function independently, meaning the object can be turned and guided in any direction as required. Some objects will have a combination of caster types – say, two rigid casters and two swivel casters. In short, the larger amount of swivel casters you go for, the more maneuverable your object will be. With that being said, having an object with four swivel casters can make steering difficult. Such objects often seem to have a mind of their own. What’s even worse is if one of the swivel casters becomes jammed, leaving you with one fixed caster and three swivel casters. Objects with this configuration tend to want to go in whatever direction the swivel caster is jammed in!
By arming yourself with the above knowledge, you should now be able to tell if any wholesale caster company is genuine with their product or trying to give you a generic option.
Other Ways of Identifying a Reputable Whole Casters Supplier
There’s nothing like testimonials when it comes to choosing a reputable supplier. There are plenty of places on the Internet where you can find unsolicited testimonials about supply companies in your area. However, the issue you have when it comes to casters is that most testimonials on the web are written by members of the general public, and such people do not typically leave testimonials about wholesale caster suppliers. Your best bet then is to perhaps contact companies that source casters, and with whom you are not in direct (i.e. local) competition with. Ask them where they supply their casters from, and how many suppliers with decent reputations they know about.
Don’t be afraid to go beyond your local suppliers. Freight costs are much lower these days, meaning that shipping will not cost you the earth. It is, after all, worth paying a little extra to source your casters from a supplier with an excellent reputation. You may pay more in the short term, but in the long term you’ll receive great benefits.
There’s often the temptation to feel ‘big is best’ when it comes to the supplying of casters – but that may not necessarily be the case. You may feel ‘safe’ which a big company, but that does not automatically mean that you will get the highest level of service. Don’t be at all afraid to examine smaller, local companies. With smaller companies you’ll be able to create a mutually-beneficial business relationship. Your supplier will appreciate your loyalty after a few orders, and you’ll discover a company that you can really trust.
When it comes to finding a reliable supplier of wholesale casters, it will really pay you if you do your homework!
One sure way to find a reliable source of wholesale casters is to give us a ring here at Douglas Equipment! We can be contacted toll-free at 800-451-0030 or 305-888-3700, if you are in the Miami are. You can also, if you’d prefer, contact us via our online contact form.
