Roll and Reel Handling Equipment South Africa

Roll and reel handling covers any industrial process that requires lifting, moving, tilting, or positioning cylindrical loads; paper reels, plastic film rolls, textile fabric rolls, cable reels, carpet rolls, and similar materials. These loads are awkward to handle manually, often exceeding safe lifting limits and presenting a high risk of back, shoulder, and wrist injury. A dedicated mechanical handling solution removes that risk entirely.

SCHE supplies roll and reel handling equipment in South Africa for loads from under 50kg up to 1,000kg, across floor-based, mobile, and overhead configurations. Our range is sourced from TAWI and Torros; two specialist manufacturers whose equipment is used in high-volume production environments across Europe, the UK, and increasingly across sub-Saharan Africa.

The right solution depends on three factors: the weight of the load, how it needs to be moved (lifted only, or lifted and tilted and rotated), and whether the handling point is fixed or changes between tasks.

For loads up to 250kg that need to be lifted, tilted, and rotated, TAWI electric lifting trolleys are the most flexible option. They are mobile, operator-controlled, and can grip reels from the core or the outside. The modular design allows attachments to be swapped for different roll diameters and core sizes. For heavier loads between 250kg and 500kg, Torros floor-based stackers provide the same lift-and-tilt capability with a higher capacity rating. For loads up to 1,000kg at a fixed handling point, TAWI wire hoist and chain hoist systems suspended overhead are the appropriate choice.

Many South African operations combine solutions. A suspended wire hoist handles the heavy initial lift from the pallet, and a floor-based trolley takes over for positioning at the machine. This split approach is common in printing, packaging, and food production environments where rolls are both stored and fed into production lines.

All equipment in our roll and reel handling range is designed to comply with South African OHS Act requirements for manual handling. Stainless steel configurations are available for food, pharmaceutical, and HACCP-regulated environments. If you are unsure which configuration suits your operation, our product specialist Raymond Seef can advise based on your load weights, core sizes, and workflow. Use the enquiry form below or contact us directly.