If you frequently ground ship goods, it’s almost certain you employ pallets in order to secure your goods and prepare them for safe pallet delivery or warehouse storage. What’s more, the chances are high that your business uses the standard wooden variety. Its’ the most readily available and most warehouse-friendly as all storage units facilitate this type of pallet. There are however alternatives like plastic pallets which can befit your shipping habits. Here are the arguments for and against wooden and plastic pallets.
Standard Wooden Pallets
There are a variety of different wooden platforms on which to ship, but the most common is aptly named the standard wooden pallet. This type of pallet can be easily replaced, is cheap to make and can be recycled. Here are some more pros:
- Readily available
- Cheap to construct
- Cheap to repair, only the chipped boards need to be replaced
- Strong, can carry loads of up to 1000 KG
- All warehouses have the facility to store them
- Can end their life as mulch or a DYI project
Wooden pallets don’t fare well in the rain; Britain might not be the best place to use these pallets for shipping perishables. Here are the cons:
- When exposed to water or moist / humid air for long periods of time the wood can rot
- Exposure to weather can lead to mould and pests infesting the wood
- Splinters, rusty nails and broken staples can all lead to cuts and scratches
- The pallets are heavy and therefore increase the cost of air freight
Plastic Pallets
While these cost more you can use them in any weather, while their light weight will possibly keep costs to a minimum. Here’s the pros of using plastic pallets.
- Light and durable
- Weather resistant
- Nestable legs means these can be stacked higher when not in use
- Easy to wash
- No splinters
- No fungus
- Can be easily life from all sides with pallet pump
- Easy to melt down and reconfigure
There are still some areas where it will be more practical to stick to those standard wooden pallets. Here are the cons of using plastic pallets:
- Not all warehouses have the facility to store these, bad if you regularly use multiple warehouses
- Each pallet costs more than the wooden variety
- Less sturdy
- Harder to find
Each pallet serves its purpose. Wooden pallets are great for securing heavy, cumbersome items like car parts while plastic pallets are great for shipping perishables because they can be kept clean. The best pallet material will depend solely on your shipping needs.