SmartMover · Performance Range
Electric Tugs · Manufacturing
Electric tugs for production lines and heavy machinery
Feed the line with trolley trains, move moulds and machines up to 70,000 kg, and take forklifts out of pedestrian areas. Free on-site demo from AWE.
Authorised Xilin Dealer
Official MasterMover Distributor
40+ Years Experience
Dublin-Based Engineers
The problem
What electric tugs fix in manufacturing
Line-side trolleys pushed by hand
Repetitive pushing and pulling of kitting carts is a constant manual-handling risk.
Forklifts among pedestrians
Tugs and tow trains let you keep forklifts out of busy assembly areas.
Milk-run deliveries
One tow tug pulls a train of linked trolleys on a set route, instead of many single trips.
Moulds, dies and machines
Power-steered tugs move multi-tonne equipment without cranes or skates.
Tight layouts
Pedestrian tugs fit between cells and through doorways where trucks can't turn.
Flexible production
Move workstations and equipment when the layout changes.
Typical loads
What factories move with a MasterMover
- Kitting carts and line-side trolleys
- Trailer trains on milk-run routes
- Moulds, dies and tooling
- Machinery and production equipment
- Finished goods on wheeled racks
- Waste and recycling bins
Safety & compliance
What it means for your site
Manual handling (S.I. 299/2007)
Tugs remove the push and pull forces that manual handling assessments flag.
Pedestrian and vehicle separation
Replacing forklift trips with pedestrian tugs reduces traffic in shared areas.
Training at handover
No forklift certificate required — AWE trains your operators on delivery.
Recommended models
MasterMover tugs we recommend for manufacturing
A starting point — we confirm every recommendation on your own floor.
SmartMover · Performance RangeEveryday trolleys and carts up to 2,000 kg.
MasterTow · Tow Tractor RangeTrailer trains up to 6,000 kg on castors.
MasterTow · Electric Steer RangeElectric-steer tow tug for heavier trains up to 15,000 kg.
MasterTug · Heavy Range8,000 kg pedestrian tug for heavy carts and equipment.
PowerSteered Range20,000 kg power-steered tug for machinery moves.
PowerSteered · Ultra Heavy-DutyUp to 70,000 kg, with wireless remote option.
Options compared
Electric tug, forklift or pushing by hand?
| Electric tug | Forklift | Manual pushing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moves wheeled loads, trolleys & trailers | Yes | No | Yes |
| Works in narrow aisles & doorways | Yes | No | Yes |
| Reduces manual-handling strain | Yes | Yes | No |
| Lifts loads to height | No | Yes | No |
| Operator training | Short familiarisation | Certified course | Manual handling training |
| Available to hire from AWE | Yes | Yes | — |
Free on-site demo
See a MasterMover move your actual load
We bring a tug to your site, try it on your own trolleys, vessels or trailers, and recommend the right model. Buy, lease or hire — your choice after the demo.
- • Demo on your own floors, slopes and doorways
- • Buy, lease or hire options
- • Service and parts from AWE, the official Irish MasterMover dealer
Free download
Not sure a tug will handle your load?
Walk your site with this checklist. Send it back to us and we'll match the right MasterMover.
Is an electric tug right for my load? (checklist)
A one-page site checklist: load weight, wheels, floor, slopes, distances and doorways — everything we ask before recommending a MasterMover.
FAQs
Electric tug questions from manufacturing
Yes. MasterTow tow tugs are built to pull linked trailer trains, for example the TOW600 pulls up to 6,000 kg on castors. Electric-steer models such as the TOW1500 ES handle heavier trains.
Knowledge Hub
Read before you decide
Electric Tugs vs Forklifts: Moving Heavy Loads Safely Indoors
If the load is already on wheels, a forklift is often the wrong tool. Electric tugs move up to 70,000 kg with one pedestrian operator and no lifting at all.
7 min readElectric Tug Sizing Guide: Matching Load Weight to the Right MasterMover
Tug sizing is not just load weight. Gradient, wheel count, floor surface and coupling type decide whether a machine moves the load or slips on the spot.
8 min readElectric Tug Hire vs Buy: Which Makes Sense for Your Site?
Hire suits projects, trials and peaks; buying or leasing suits daily, long-term use. Here is how to decide for a MasterMover tug.
5 min readTell us what you need to move
Load weight, wheels and route — we'll recommend the right MasterMover and arrange a free demo.