Pallets (I) materials; advantages and disadvantages

 This post will be focused on one of the most important elements on every single warehouse, the pallets. We can define a pallet as a flat transport structure that supports goods. This definition can be extended but I aim to keep it as simple as possible.

The use of pallets has spread over almost every warehouse since they were first introduced. Is has been proved that pallets make it easier to move heavy merchandise, storage the goods in different levels and optimize space whether we are transporting goods or storing them.

Even though there are many pallets sizes, a few different sizes are widely used while the others are very rare particularly in medium and large size companies.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sanctions six pallet dimensions as follow:

	Dimensions (W × L)		Region most used in
	40.00 × 48.00		North America
	39.37 × 47.24		Europe, Asia; similar to 40" × 48".
	45.87 × 45.87		Australia
	42.00 × 42.00		North America, Europe, Asia
	43.30 × 43.30		Asia
	31.50 × 47.24		Europe

While most pallets are made of wood, there are also pallets made of metal, cardboard etc. Each material has advantages and disadvantages.

Wood

The majority of pallets used are made from wood due to this material being the cheapest compared to metal or plastic. We can find softwood pallets and hardwood pallets.

Some advantages of wooden pallets are:

-          Strong and durable

-          Less expensive than other materials

-          Easy to construct, repair, splinter and recycle

-          Suitable for storing in racks and piling.

In the other hand wooden pallets have some disadvantages that don´t make them ideal for some purposes

-          These pallets are heavier than plastic or paper pallets, making them more expensive when air freight is needed.

-          Difficult to clean leading to the growth of bacteria, insects etc. Most pallets shipped across national borders must be made of materials that are incapable of being a carrier of invasive species of insects and plant diseases, in this cases, it might not be feasible to use wooden pallets to transport the goods.

Paper

Paper pallets are used for light loads, and when recycling and easy disposal is important.

 

Advantages of this type of pallets are:

-          Light weight

-          Good strength for its weight

-          Recyclable and easy disposable

However paper pallets are the best choice when looking to store or transport light loads, they have some disadvantages:

-          Damageable if stored outside

-          Difficult to store in racks and piles

-          Not suitable for very heavy loads

Plastic

Plastic pallets are getting more and more common in supply chain due to the many advantages they have:

-          Highly resistant to water,  corrosion, contamination etc
-          Easy to clean
-          Durability and resistance

-          Low weight

Even though plastic pallets are becoming more and more popular, there are still several disadvantages that might make some companies reluctant to use these type of pallets:

-          More expensive than wood and paper pallets

-        Although plastic is more durable than other materials, when it cracks or breaks repairs are more expensive and difficult.

-          Sometimes plastic pallets can´t be stacked.

Metal

Aluminum and steel are the most popular materials used on metal pallets, and are generally found in the automotive, food, pharmaceutical and chemical industry.

Metal pallets only makes 1% of the current pallet distribution nonetheless they are becoming more attractive to industries that deal with heavy merchandise.

-          Stronger than paper, wood and plastic

-          Very resistant and durable

-          Easy to clean, free of pest

-          Suitable for food and chemical materials

-          Lower cost associated to insurance as metal pallets are more durable and cost effective and very rarely suffer considerable damage.

From the disadvantages point of view, we can mention

-         Metal pallets are more expensive than any other material

-         Heavier than other materials, incurring in higher costs when air transporting

We can say we know what we need to chose the type of pallet that suits most our business!

The next post will verse about the different types of pallets from the size and shape point of view.