A pallet is the foundation structure, that supports goods or containers, or heavy loads so that they can be delivered and moved around warehouses and stores. Export pallets are mostly used for one-way shipping or exports because they don’t last beyond two to three times. The Export Pallets market is mostly dominated by wood but plastic is also a growing segment. Pallets are the most important link in your supply chain but often companies make poor choices in choosing the correct type of pallet for their delivery. They use pallets that are subjected to extreme wear and tear, abused or have been cast aside to save costs. Here’s how to choose the correct material for your pallet.
Wood Pallets
Treated or Molded wood are the most common material for export pallets. They are usually structured with a top and bottom deck board that are held together by three runners. They can also be customized as per the requirements of the company or the goods to be delivered or warehoused. Wood pallets is the traditional choice as it is more durable, stronger and can carry heavier loads and less expensive than plastic or aluminium.
Benefits
They cost less than plastic or aluminum pallets. Due to its lower acquisition costs companies prefer wood over other materials.
As they are a natural product they can be repaired, reused and recycled. As more companies are becoming environment conscious they see wood pallets as cost effective tool but also try to be sustainable.
Disadvantages
The wood pallets weigh about 30-70 lbs making it too bulky and heavy to be easily moved around warehouses.
They have more chances of being contaminated with bacteria or food borne diseases & pathogens or molds. According to a statistic one in every ten wood pallet has been found contaminated of E. Coli & foodborne pathogens.
They have strict rules and regulations regarding shape, size and type of materials usage to be followed in some countries like Australia, Canada, Mexico and United Kingdom.
Plastic Pallets
These are an inexpensive, durable, light weight and better alternative to wood. These might have higher acquisition costs but have a long shelf life so customers can recover their costs over the life span of the pallet, which is usually more than 10 years. They come in three types which are nestable, stackable and rackable. These also cause fewer injuries to employees and workers as they are free from nails or screws used in wood pallets.
Benefits
They have longer life span as compared to wood pallets which is usually more than 10 years. It can handle moderate to high load per pallet for every trip.
These are light in weight and weigh as little as 3 lbs as compared to wood that weighs around 30-70 lbs.
As these can be easily cleaned by water they are weather proof, termite proof & fungus resistant.
They are recyclable and can be grounded up and re-used to make new pallets.
These can be easily customized as per customer’s specifications for design, dimensions or color to identify it to a specific warehouse.
Disadvantages
These are expensive; even though they have a longer shelf life a lot of companies can’t afford these pallets at the very beginning.
These cannot be easily repaired as plastic once destroyed or molded cannot be restored.
Most companies still prefer wood pallets as they are the traditional choice. It’s difficult to make companies switch from wood to plastic even with its benefits.
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