Plastic Pallets - The Great Debate!

Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in the battle, both in the sense of an increasing number of laws and regulations and a growing sense of awareness in businesses.

The last half-decade has witnessed a war between the companies responsible for the manufacturing of wood pallets and plastic pallets. Sustainability is playing an important role in the battle -- both in the sense of an increasing number of laws and regulations and a growing sense of awareness in businesses. Each side is pushing the benefits of their pallets and the hazards of the opposing brand. Wood remains a common pallet material. However, when it comes to moving goods, plastic is a better choice.

Are you considering making a switch from wood to plastic? Here is how to make the switch:

First, you must understand the differences between pallets.

It is true that wood pallets often receive praise because they are made from wood that would normally be pitched in the bin and they can hold a lot of material. Wood pallets are still not without their own unique set of problems in that they harbor unwanted pests and contain staples or nails that can damage valuable merchandise. Plastic pallets, on the other hand are rugged, easy to clean, pest-free and are molded in a uniform shape that is free of fastening hardware. The plastic option is also more affordable, eco-friendly and flexible when compared to the wood counterparts on the market.

Second, know the multifunctional uses of plastic pallets.

Plastic pallets come with additional positive properties that should sway your decision:

• Plastic pallets can prove to be incredibly flexible compare to the one-size-fits-all wooden pallets available. Suppliers can produce optimum plastic pallet solutions for most conceivable applications.
• The plastic pallets were once used primarily in the pharmaceutical industry due to their high standards of cleanliness, they are now being seen in fields that would prefer to avoid the dirt and damage inflicted by wooden pallets. An example is the recent jump in plastic pallet preference among automobile accessory manufacturers.

The growing awareness of plastic pallets as a shipping tool, which can increase return on investment (ROI) has seen more people making use of the multi-use plastic pallets from Reusable Transport Packaging!

Third, think about your industry and what it is doing.

Industries that operate in a closed loop manufacturing resource planning system (also called a closed loop MRP) often choose to use plastic pallets because their pallets are returned at the end of the manufacturing loop. It is important to keep in mind that, in relation to their enormous load carrying capacity, plastic pallets are very light and that will result in lower total shipping expense from point A to point B. The pallets allow the pharmaceutical, beverage and dairy industries to maintain costs and pass along savings to their customers.

Then, sample industries which can benefit from the use of plastic pallets:

• Dairy.
• Beverage.
• Electronics.
• Pharmaceutical.

Consider the durability of all products you ship.

Traditional wood pallets have metal fasteners that will often cause damage to fragile items. If you ship a product that is composed of a relatively soft rubberized outer layer, for example, fasteners can become loose and gouge or strip the product. In order to avoid product damage, you will want to consider the use of a plastic pallet from Reusable Transport Packaging for the product move.

Is it time to stop straining your back and the environment?

The weight-reduced design of plastic pallets not only eliminate the backbreaking work of maneuvering pallets that are either filled or empty. A truck load of plastic pallets also takes the strain off of the shipping side of a business because the plastic pallets weighs roughly 30 LBS per pallet to an average of 50 LBS per comparable wooden pallet. This can add up to more than 1,200 LBS in less weight and it consequently cuts total greenhouse gas emissions.

Determine if pallets will also serve a display purpose in the store.

Will the products you manufacture and ship be displayed on store shelving or will the size be more suitable for a mid-aisle display? Many items manufactured for the electronics industry or automobile accessory industry will be better suited to large eye-catching display formats. In many cases it is even possible for the plastic pallet to become part of the display, and it is then picked up and returned to the distributor.

Examine the trade-offs between pallets.

The expense of plastic shipping pallets can be greater than traditional wooden pallets, but you need to consider the trade-off of a little more spent initially. Would the cost of a plastic pallet be offset by decreased risk of damage, delays and unhappy partner businesses?

• Wood pallets are less expensive, but their longevity is significantly shorter than plastic pallets.
• Wood pallets often cause more damage to fragile items that are being shipped from point A to point B.

Why plastic pallets?

The environmental returns of plastic pallets from Reusable Transport Packaging correlate to their ability to be reused again and again. Longevity of a wood pallet is an expected seven trips before retirement, and this includes refurbishment of busted boards and all nails or screws. Conversely, plastic pallets can make up to 300 trips before they need to be broken back down into resin and re-molded. The best you can do with a wooden pallet is chip it after it is unusable. Use of plastic pallets will, therefore, reduce total landfill expenses for a manufacturer.
Seven reasons to consider plastic pallets:

• Plastic pallets are more uniform in size, weight and shape.
• Efficiency improves because the quality of the plastic pallet eliminates downtime.
• Plastic pallets are more hygienic and do not promote the growth of dangerous bacteria.
• The pallets have increased overall longevity and go back into the system.
• If you ship delicate products or materials, the fasteners associated with wood pallets can cause damage.
• Plastic pallets can become a display for certain items and, subsequently, be returned to the distributor at the end of the promotion.
• If you are work in a closed-loop MRP, it may make sense to make the switch to plastic pallets.