Poly-O, Phenolic, Mold-On Rubber and what’s a NinjaRound? How to choose the best Caster for your Container.

Posted by Paul Reidy, Impact VP of Marketing on May 13th 2020

At Impact, we supply Casters and Wheels for Commercial Dumpsters, Residential Refuse Carts and a variety of Material Handling applications for Food and Grocery. How do you choose the correct Caster for your application? What’s the difference between a Poly-O and a Phenolic? Impact is here to answer your questions.

The best way to narrow down a caster or wheel selection is to understand the end use conditions that the Caster and/or wheel needs to withstand.

Load Capacity – How much weight will your Caster/Wheel need to handle? Impact has Caster offerings than can withstand up to 1,500 lbs.

Indoor/Outdoor Use – Do you require a wheel that is non-marking on floors? Is a soft, quiet roll important in your facility? For use outdoors, if you are in a region that experiences temperature extremes, look at the temperature range scale for each Caster/wheel. For example, a Phenolic Wheel can withstand a range from -50⁰F up to 250⁰ F.

Impact Resistant – Will the Container or Dumpster be dropped at any time? Commercial Dumpsters typically experience some impact when being set down by a front load or rear load garbage truck, so it’s critical they continue to function after dropping. Impact conducts drop testing on each of our Caster offerings.

Environment – Will the Caster/Wheel be in contact with harsh chemicals, oils or other corrosive materials?

Maneuverability – Will the container or dumpster be moved frequently? What surfaces will the Caster/Wheel encounter? Do you need special rigging or brakes for uneven surfaces?

The Poly-O Caster

If there’s anything close to the perfect Caster, it’s the Impact USA made Poly-O. Our #1 rated and recommended Caster and the only USA made Poly-O Wheel offered in the Waste Industry. The Poly-O (Polyolefin) Wheel is injection molded from blended polymers that provide superior strength and resistance to most common chemicals, solvents, acids, gas and oil. The Impact Poly-O is the strongest and most durable of any non-metal Casters.

Load capacity of up to 1,200lbs.

Temperature range: -20°F to +185°F.

Suited for both outdoor and indoor Use.

Non-marking and quiet roll.

Top performer in Drop Test Simulator.

Price rating: $

The NinjaRound Caster

The agile Ninja is neither heard nor seen, just like this Caster made with a thermoplastic elastomer tread permanently bonded to a ribbed polyolefin wheel core. An exclusive offering from Impact, the NinjaRound has a silent roll and leaves no marking or trace on floors. Perfect for indoor use applications, this is the most maneuverable of any Caster offered by Impact.

Load capacity of up to 500lbs.

Temperature range: +45°F to +180°F.

Perfect for indoor use, but can be used outdoors in warmer climates.

Non-marking and quiet roll.

Highly maneuverable.

Price rating: $S.

The Phenolic Caster

If you need a Caster that’ll survive in the post-apocalyptic world, this is the Caster for you. The Phenolic Caster is molded from cellulose fibers with high quality phenolic resin and is suited for extreme temperatures and harsh environments. While suitable for indoor use, the Phenolic is an outdoor cat. The Phenolic can withstand the widest range of temperatures from the Arctic to the Sahara.

Load capacity of up to 1,200lbs.

Temperature range: -50°F to +250°F.

Suited for both outdoor and indoor use.

Chemical, gas, oil resistant.

Price rating: $.

The Mold-On Rubber (MOR) Caster

If you’re looking for your everyday, reliable Caster that requires no heroics, the Mold-On Rubber is the logical choice. Arguably the most common Caster found on Commercial Dumpsters as it’s a cost-effective solution for Customers not looking for high performance elements in a caster. For our customers, we typically recommend the Poly-O over the MOR, as the Poly-O gives you all the heroics for almost no additional cost.

Load capacity of up to 250lbs

Temperature range: -40°F to +160°F.

Suited for both outdoor and indoor Use.

Non-marking and quiet roll.

Resists water, oils, alkaline, and chemicals.

Price rating: $.

The Polyurethane Coated Steel Caster

The strength of a lion with the roar of a kitten, the Polyurethane Coated Steel Caster provides superior strength and load capacity with a smooth, quiet roll. Basically, all the ideal indoor use qualities with the toughness of an outdoor Caster.