Home Case Studies... Electric Tow Tug Improving Plant Transport and Reducing Manual Handling: Flower Power

Electric Tow Tug Improving Plant Transport and Reducing Manual Handling: Flower Power

May 15, 2026

We could literally plug and play and start using it from the moment it was delivered… generally equipment gets delivered and you have to retrofit it before you can use it. This was ready to go.

Kaitlyn Mellen

Flower Power

Client Profile

Flower Power

Australia's best range of quality homegrown plants, plus a huge range of gardening accessories, landscape supplies, homewares and furniture.

Success Highlight

At Flower Power’s Glenorie site, movement is constant.

Operating within the green life industry, the team processes and moves over 8 million plants annually. With that volume comes a continuous requirement: moving and dispatching plants efficiently, safely, and without disrupting the wider operation.

To support this, Flower Power partnered with Sitecraft to introduce a Motrec MP240 electric tow tug, configured with a rear bumper 6-hole hitch to integrate directly with their existing trailer fleet.

The Challenge: Manual Handling and Site Constraints

Before introducing the tow tug, plant transport relied heavily on manual effort.
Moving fully loaded trailers required:

• One operator at the front
• One or two team members pushing from behind

This approach worked, but it tied up multiple people for a single movement task and placed ongoing physical strain on staff.

At the same time, Flower Power had recently installed high-value automated equipment within their dispatch area.

This introduced a critical constraint, larger vehicles were not suitable due to the risk of damaging sensitive infrastructure.

The requirement was to improve how that task was carried out, within the conditions already in place.

The Solution: Electric Tow Tug with Custom Hitch Configuration

Rather than redesigning the workflow, the focus was on how movement was handled within it.
Flower Power were set up with a Motrec MP240 electric tow tug, configured with a rear bumper 6-hole hitch to match their existing trailers.

No retrofit was required.

No changes to current equipment were needed.

The unit connected directly into what was already in use and went straight into operation.

As Kaitlyn from Flower Power explains:

“We could literally plug and play and start using it from the moment it was delivered… generally equipment gets delivered and you have to retrofit it before you can use it. This was ready to go.”
— Kaitlyn, Flower Power

Why the MP240 Fit This Application

The Motrec MP240 is suited to high-frequency movement in constrained environments, where control, safety, and repeatability are critical.

In this application, the key advantages were:

• Compact footprint – allowing safe operation within the dispatch area and around fixed automation
• High towing capacity (up to 11 tonnes) – capable of handling fully loaded plant trailers
• Electric drive – supporting quiet, controlled operation in indoor and mixed-use environments
• Extended runtime – enabling consistent use across long operating periods
• Configurable hitch options – allowing direct integration with existing trailer systems

Each of these factors contributed to a solution that fit the site, rather than requiring the site to adapt.

The Impact: Safer, More Efficient Movement

Since implementation, the Sitecraft electric tow tug has become a core part of Flower Power’s dispatch workflow.

Reduced manual handling
The need for multiple staff to move loaded trailers has been removed, significantly reducing physical strain.

Improved labour efficiency
Tasks that previously required two to three people can now be handled by a single operator, allowing labour to be reallocated to higher-value work.

Controlled operation within constrained areas
The compact design allows safe movement within the dispatch environment, including around high-value automated systems.

Proven performance in daily use
The unit is operating at scale, running approximately 10 hours per day under real working conditions.

As Kaitlyn notes:
“We haven’t charged the unit since we received it a couple of weeks ago and it’s still going strong.”

Why Sitecraft

For Flower Power, the decision extended beyond the equipment itself.

Early engagement and responsiveness played a key role in the process:
“We liked Sitecraft because they gave exceptional customer service even before we purchased.”

What mattered most was how the solution was delivered.

The tow tug was:

• Configured to match existing trailers
• Set up to suit the workflow before arriving on site
• Ready to operate immediately

This approach ensured the equipment integrated seamlessly into day-to-day operations, without creating additional work or delays.

The Outcome

The introduction of the electric tow tug has shifted plant transport from a manual, labour-dependent task to a controlled, repeatable system.

• Reduced reliance on manual handling
• More efficient use of labour across the site
• Safer movement within a constrained dispatch environment
• Immediate usability without additional setup

As Kaitlyn summarises:

“It’s been an absolute godsend… extremely positive. We’d definitely work with Sitecraft again and would recommend them to anyone in the industry.”

Looking Ahead

With transport now standardised and scalable, Flower Power has a foundation to continue improving efficiency as volumes grow.

Explore Similar Solutions

If you’re moving trailers, stock, or equipment across site, the right tow tug setup can reduce manual handling and improve operational flow without changing your existing system

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