All About Polyurethane Wheels and Castors: Properties, Advantages, and Areas of Application

Polyurethane wheels and castors, also known as PU wheels, are highly durable while being gentle on floors. Thanks to their versatility, PU castors are widely used across various industries. Learn everything about polyurethane wheels — their composition, advantages, applications — and discover the most important PU castor series from Wicke.

What is Polyurethane and Why is it Ideal for Wheels and Castors?

Polyurethane is a plastic or polymer that can be tailored to specific requirements. Positioned between an elastomer and a thermoplastic, polyurethane combines the elasticity of rubber with the hardness of nylon. This makes PU ideal as a tread for both fixed and swivel castors, as well as for wheels on pallet trucks.

Polyurethane is created through polymerization, a chemical process that is also reflected in its name. Depending on the need, polyurethane can be precisely engineered, as seen in the various urethane series by Wicke. The material can range from flexible and soft to extremely hard and dimensionally stable.

Key Advantages of PU Wheels

Compared to other wheels used in industrial and commercial settings, polyurethane castors offer several benefits:

High Load Capacity: PU castors can withstand heavy loads over time.
Low Wear: Ideal for continuous use in indoor spaces, clean rooms, and outdoors.
Quiet Operation: They absorb vibrations and reduce operational noise.
Floor Protection: PU does not damage sensitive surfaces like tiles, coatings, or hardwood floors.
High Chemical Resistance: Resistant to oils, greases, and many chemicals.
Smooth Rolling: Excellent on uneven surfaces and thresholds.
Wide Temperature Tolerance: Typically, between -30°C and +70°C.

Common Applications for PU Castors

Due to their unique combination of rolling characteristics, load capacity, and durability, PU castors are especially popular where heavy loads need to be transported without damaging the floor. Key application areas include:

Industrial trucks and pallet jacks of all types
Transport carts, shelf servicing units, conveyor systems in warehousing, logistics, and shipping
Mobile equipment carts in mechanical engineering and manufacturing
Rolling containers in the furniture industry
Apparatus and transport trolleys in clean rooms, laboratories, and the food industry
Wheelchairs and medical devices
Trusses and mobile stage technology systems in event production

Wicke PU Castors – Find the Right Series for Your Needs

We offer PU castors and wheels of the highest quality for every requirement. Wicke has stood for precise material selection, variety, and reliability for decades. Each of our series is specifically developed and optimized for top performance. All series feature durable tread surfaces, robust bearing designs, and direct quality control thanks to in-house production.

Series PE – Aluminium Core with Topthane®

Material & Design: Die-cast aluminium core with high-quality, vulcanized Topthane® tread (92 Shore A), permanently bonded using special bonding technology
Load Capacity: Between 380 kg and 1,550 kg depending on size (e.g., 100 mm → 520 kg, 160 mm → 880 kg, 150 mm → 730 kg)
Advantages: Excellent wear resistance, low rolling and starting resistance, cut-resistant and durable. Equipped with ball bearings for precise and quiet operation — ideal for workshops or production lines.

Series PG – Cast Iron Core with Topthane®

Material & Design: Cast iron core with highly durable Topthane® tread (92 Shore A)
Load Capacity: Up to 2,000 kg; resistant to shocks and localized stress
Advantages: Specifically designed for heavy-duty industrial use. Chemically resistant, durable, and quiet rolling.

Serie TE – Redthane®

Material & Design: Aluminium core with soft Redthane® PU tread (75 Shore A) — optimized for quiet operation
Load Capacity: Between 310 kg and 840 kg — ideal for manual transport
Advantages: Outstanding noise reduction, very low rolling resistance, and good traction — perfect for sensitive floors and quiet work environments.

Series TG – Cast Iron Core with Redthane®

Material & Design: Cast iron core with soft Redthane® PU tread (75 Shore A)
Load Capacity: Between 580 kg and 700 kg — suited for medium-duty applications
Advantages: Shock- and cut-resistant, quiet, with suspension components for exceptionally smooth rolling.

Series DS – Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)

Material & Design: Red TPU tread (96 Shore A) injection-moulded directly onto a polyamide core
Load Capacity: Ideal for manually moved loads of approximately 300–400 kg
Advantages: Extremely wear- and heat-resistant, cut-resistant and durable. Especially suitable for high-temperature or high-stress applications.

If you have any questions about specific series or product features, please feel free to contact us. The Wicke team is happy to assist you via email or phone.