Choosing the types of pallets you want to use is not often an easy exercise as cost is not the only deciding factor. Other factors which you need to consider are health and hygiene issues, legislation, environmental impact and if they are suitable for automation.

The nature of the pallets environment will affect the type of pallet materials chosen. Many companies which as ones which deals with food will not allow the use of wood pallets. This can be due to hygiene restrictions and/or contamination risks.

The degree of handling automation used is also important because dimensional integrity and strength are critical, which influences automated warehouse operators to choose plastic over wood.

Wood is currently the dominant solution due to their sustainability and low initial cost. They are arguable the easiest option to choose because everyone who supplies pallets, supplies wooden ones.

As explained before in previous blogs there are so many different types of pallets available! There are soft wood, hard wood, paper, plastic and metal pallets.

When choosing the pallets you are going to be using you really need to take into consideration the cost and how many times they need replacing. If you will be using and reusing them it may be worthwhile to invest in metal pallets as they tend to hold more weight and withstand warehouse conditions for the longest period of time. You may also want to take into account the hygiene aspect as mentioned earlier.

Another thing to think about is the fire risk. To reduce the risk of a fire spreading so rapidly you would be best to choose metal or plastic pallets over wood or paper.

Although if you will be using the pallets and disposing of them regularly then you may want to choose the cheapest option which can hold the most weight.

What I am trying to get across to you is that everyone’s needs are different. What suits Joe Blogg’s business, won’t necessarily suit yours.

Get in touch!

If you want to ask any questions to us about pallets or your pallet racking solution, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0800 345 7088 or email [email protected]

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