The logistics industry is huge, involving several activities. If you run a logistics business, or are in charge of logistics in your organisation, you are probably looking out for a cost effective way to get pallets for packaging and transport. You have two options – either buy plastic pallets or rent them. What is the best choice to make and what type of pallets should you use?
Using plastic shipping pallets is a cost-saving strategy for today’s businesses. Switch to plastic pallets and reduce costs by: saving on transport costs; minimising product loss; re-using plastic pallets; and purchasing used pallets.
Transporting or shipping goods anywhere, be it across the country or internationally, costs money. There are not only costs associated with the goods themselves – taxes, etc – but also those related to transporting them. Plastic pallets are light and easy to transport, reducing your overheads; they are easy to sanitise, reducing quarantine charges.
Traditional timber pallets can splinter, break and absorb water, which can warp the timber as it swells. the resultant product damage can be very costly. Switching to plastic shipping pallets, while initially more expensive than timber, can minimise loss caused by product damage: the savings can greatly outweigh any increase in pallet cost.
Read Reduce costs by switching to plastic shipping pallets »
Timber pallets have been around for decades, but are you aware of the quarantine risks associated with their usage? Using plastic export pallets avoids any issues with termites, other timber-borne insects, moulds and fungi: better for the environment all round!
Traditionally, international transportation has relied on wooden structures, such as timber pallets, to support cargo in transit. The cargoes themselves are regulated by quarantine, requiring identification by type and origin; however, the same does not apply to the timber pallets used in their transport.
Using plastic export pallets for transporting goods internationally offers some benefits that you may want to consider.
The Australian Quarantine Inspection Service identifies a number of quarantine risks associated with wooden packaging, including the removal of bark. Bark removal is essential in order to:
Read Plastic export pallets vs timber pallets: quarantine risks »