Top 10 Advantages of Plastic Pallets Over Wood Pallets
Plastic pallets offer numerous advantages over traditional wood pallets for a wide range of applications, from moving and storing products within your facilities to reusing them in closed loop distribution systems, to even fulfilling multiple roles such as being used to display products in a store or showroom after they’re delivered on the pallets .
Following are 10 benefits of plastic pallets over wood pallets:
- Durable and long-lasting. Plastic pallets stand up well to the bumps and scrapes of repeated use in transit. They’re an excellent, cost-saving choice for close-looped systems, where you can use them over and over. While wood pallets typically provide less than a dozen uses, plastic pallets can be reused more than 200 times.
- Earth friendly. When you replace wood pallets with plastic pallets, you save trees. And because they last longer than wood pallets, plastic pallets end up requiring fewer resources. And because they’re recyclable, plastic pallets greatly reduce the amount of waste your company produces. Recyclable plastic pallets don’t end up in landfills, and they reduce your disposal and landfill costs.
- Lightweight. Plastic pallets weigh less than pallets made of wood. This makes them easier to handle and reduces shipping costs.
- Safer. Plastic pallets are safer for your workforce, because they don’t splinter or have nails like wood pallets do.
- Available in a range of designs. These include nesting models that nest neatly together for easy handling and saving floor space between uses; stackable pallets that optimize unitization; and rackable pallets that fit in open pallet racks, supporting the weight of their loads across an open span.
- Attractive. Because they look so nice, some plastic pallet users give them double duty. First, for transport of a product. Second, to display the product in a retail store or showroom, once delivered. Plastic pallets are preferred for such applications because they’re much more attractive than wood pallets.
- Clean. Plastic pallets meet requirements for food grade applications and reduce risk of contamination in pharmaceutical applications. Plus, they’re easy to clean between uses.
- Weather-resistant. Moisture doesn’t affect plastic pallets. They won’t warp. So they’re a good choice for outdoor applications or indoor applications where water is an issue. Plastic pallets also are resistant to many chemicals and can be used in all climate conditions.
- Uniformity. Plastic pallets don’t have the surface variability of wooden pallets, so they work well in automated systems, reducing the risk of jamming.
- Easy forklift access. Plastic pallets offer four-way access, making them easy to pick up with a forklift.
For more information on the advantages of plastic pallets and how you can put them to work at your business, contact a Flexcon sales representative today.