6 Reasons To Make The Change To Plastic Pallets
08 Oct 2018
Wooden pallets are still widely used, despite the search for lower costs and higher sustainability, people are still reluctant to make the transition to plastic pallets. We have come up with six reasons we feel will convince your business to make the change to plastic pallets.
1. Ease of Transportation
Plastic pallets are more lightweight than wooden pallets, making them more manageable for transporting. With this, they are also likely to cost less to ship, due to making the overall shipment lighter.
2. Lower Cost of Ownership
Wooden pallets usually require more upkeep and maintenance in order to keep them in a good condition. Whereas plastic pallets are less likely to wear as easily so will require less labour to maintain them, therefore reducing ongoing ownership costs.
3. Higher Customer Satisfaction
Plastic pallets provide more consistency in shape due to being created in molds which provides higher customer satisfaction.
4. Better Sustainability For Environment
Plastic pallets have a longer lifespan than wooden pallets and can typically last up to 10 years if treated and cared for correctly, whereas a wooden pallet can last up to 3-5 years. This longevity is based on pallets being loaded correctly and stored in the appropriate temperature. Recently there has been an increase in the uptake of used pallets. Due to the durability of the plastic pallet, they are better suited for reusing than the wooden pallet.
5. More Sanitary
Plastic pallets are more hygienic and can be cleaned more easily than a wooden pallet. Plastic pallets do not rot and can be washed using high pressure hoses, which helps the chances of any cross contamination be reduced.
6. Safer Option
Plastic pallets are less likely to splinter like wooden pallets easily can. They also dry easily due to the material, which helps to prevent the shipment from damage. If a pallet was to splinter this could affect the shipment itself by contaminating the contents or by affecting the way the load is stacked.
Plastic pallets stack easier due to being identical in shape and size if purchasing the same type of pallet, which makes stacking each pallet safer and easier.