Portability is a common request from operators who need to move a pump across multiple locations, applications or processes. A trolley-mounted pump allows fluid to be moved safely and efficiently between tanks, IBCs, dosing points or process areas without the need for fixed installation.
This configuration can handle general industrial liquids, chemicals and food-grade products, depending on the pump technology and materials selected. See our full range of trolley-mounted pumps to explore the available options.
Most pump ranges we supply can be trolley-mounted, provided their size and weight are suitable for a wheeled frame. The right pump depends on the liquid and the application, not simply on the need for mobility. For a single, occasional transfer from a drum or IBC, a drum pump will usually be the simpler and more economical option, as explained further below.
A trolley-mounted pump justifies its cost when transfer needs to happen at more than one point, or when the location changes over time. Common situations include:
Moving fluid between several tanks or IBCs across a shed or plant, rather than running fixed pipework to each one
Seasonal or campaign work, such as pump-over operations at a winery during vintage, where the transfer point changes through the season
Batch or wash-down transfer in food and beverage production, where the same pump moves between vessels between runs
Reducing manual handling risk, by wheeling a pump and hose to the liquid instead of carrying containers to a fixed pump
If the transfer point never changes, a fixed installation is usually the better long-term option, since it removes the repositioning and hose handling that a mobile unit adds to the job.
Pump. This is the component that moves the liquid. Depending on the application, the trolley may be fitted with a peristaltic, AODD, centrifugal, rotary lobe or magnetic-drive pump.
Trolley frame. Our trolley frames are fabricated and assembled in our Adelaide workshop.
Wheels. Pneumatic wheels are commonly used because they make the trolley easier to move across uneven surfaces and over hoses or cables.
Drive system. Electrically driven pumps are fitted with a motor selected for the required duty. AODD pumps do not require an electric motor; instead, the customer usually provides a suitably sized compressed-air supply.
Suction and discharge connections. Hose connections, pipe connections or quick-release couplings allow the pump to be connected and disconnected at each transfer point.
Controls. Depending on the pump, options may include a starter, VSD or pendant controller. The flow rate of an AODD pump is controlled by regulating the compressed-air supply.
We can mount most of our pump ranges on a trolley. Which one suits your application depends on the liquid, the flow rate you need, and whether hygiene or hazardous-area requirements apply.
As a portable peristaltic pump, the Verderflex hose pump suits abrasive, corrosive or viscous fluids, including slurries with a high solids content. The fluid only ever touches the inside of a replaceable hose, so there's no seal to fail and no metal wetted parts to corrode, which is useful for dosing and metering as well as general transfer.
In practice: A New South Wales manufacturer needed a reliable way to batch a resin-based product several times a week. A Verderflex Dura 35 on a trolley handles the accurate, timed dosing that keeps each batch consistent.
Verderair AODD pumps run on compressed air rather than electricity. That's practical where power isn't available at the transfer point, or where an electrical source isn't wanted near the chemical being handled. They're also self-priming and tolerate running dry without damage, handy when a line runs empty partway through a job.
In practice: We supplied a large green hydrogen demonstration plant in Brisbane with stainless-steel Verderair AODD pumps for removing organic liquid waste from sumps across the site. Each pump was mounted on a trolley and fitted with discharge and compressed-air hoses, a pressure-relief valve and quick-release couplings. Operators can empty one sump, disconnect the pump and move it easily to the next location.
Packo hygienic centrifugal and rotary lobe pumps, built to ISO 9001 in stainless steel, are the pumps most commonly specified as a portable brewery pump for breweries and wineries, moving yeast, beer or must between tanks, or handling pump-over operations during production. The same technology suits food-grade transfer more broadly, including dairy and general beverage production, wherever hygiene and wash-down are priorities. A rotary lobe pump handles a wider viscosity range and is gentler on the product; a centrifugal pump suits higher flow, lower-viscosity transfer
In practice: a winery moving must between fermentation tanks during vintage, when the specific tanks in use change week to week, is a typical case for a Packo pump on a trolley rather than fixed pipework running to every tank.
Magnetic drive pumps are seal-less, which makes them a leak-free option for transferring corrosive or hazardous chemicals. The technology is more commonly installed as a fixed pump for continuous duty, and only the smaller, lighter models in the range are practical to wheel between locations. If leak-free transfer of an aggressive chemical is the priority and the pump needs to move, ask us which magnetic drive models are available on a trolley for your application.
In practice: A customer needed a portable solution for transferring acidic fertiliser between several locations. We supplied a chemically resistant, self-priming magnetic-drive pump mounted on a stainless-steel trolley. Its seal-less design helped minimise the risk of leaks, while the self-priming system simplified start-up. The unit delivered flow rates of between 200 and 400 litres per minute and could be moved easily around the site.
A trolley-mounted pump is built for repeated transfer between multiple points. If the job is decanting from a single 20 L or 200 L drum, or an IBC, on an occasional basis, a drum pump remains the simpler and cheaper option: no trolley, no separate frame, the pump sits directly on or in the container. Our drum pump range and drum pump selector tool can help narrow down the right option for your container size and chemical.
Find the situation closest to yours, and mark it, as a starting point:
| ✓ | Your situation | Recommended pump |
| ☐ | Transfer between multiple or changing points | Trolley mounted pump, technology chosen for the liquid |
| ☐ | A single container, used occasionally | Drum pump |
| ☐ | A fixed, continuous transfer of an aggressive chemical | Usually a permanent installation rather than a mobile one |
| ☐ | Abrasive, viscous or high-solids fluid that needs to move around site | Peristaltic pump on a trolley |
| ☐ | Hygienic transfer in food and beverage | Packo centrifugal or lobe pump on a trolley |
| ☐ | No power available, or hazardous area | AODD pump on a trolley |
None of this replaces checking chemical compatibility, temperature and concentration against the pump's wetted parts. That confirmation should happen before you order, not after.
Because the right pump depends on the liquid, the flow rate and how often it needs to move, talk to our engineering team about your application, or view our trolley-mounted pump range to see what's currently available.
A trolley-mounted pump gives you the flexibility to transfer chemicals or fluids wherever they’re needed, without installing a fixed pumping system. It can make servicing multiple tanks, production areas or transfer points safer, faster and easier.
Global Pumps can help you select a pump on a trolley suited to your fluid, flow rate, materials and site requirements.
Contact our team to discuss your application and find the right trolley-mounted pump.