We all know that the majority of companies that shipping products will use pallets. Just like shipping containers pallets are used around the world when it comes to shipping and warehouse work. They are used in the logistics of the transportation process. They are used for storing items in the warehouse, moving bulk products, and providing protection to the products in question.

What is Pallet?

A pallet is a horizontal platform, that is used as a base for handling, transporting, handling, storing, and assembling materials and products. Additionally, pallets are designed to ensure that no damage occurs to the goods that are inside when another pallet is loaded on top of it.

What Kinds of Pallets Are There?

Plastic Pallets

Benefits of Using a Plastic Pallet

• Perhaps one of the best things about plastic pallets is the fact that they have an impressively long lifetime. Generally, you can anticipate a plastic pallet lasting a minimum of 10 years. This makes it a great investment and will result in your saving money in the long run.
• Another awesome advantage is that plastic is also resistant to the majority of chemicals, including alkalis and acids. This means that they can be cleaned easily. In order to remove bacteria, plastic pallets can clean in three ways, they can either be chemically sanitized, steam cleaned or hot washed.
• Plastic pallets are also completely recyclable.

Disadvantages of Using a Plastic Pallet

• One of the biggest disadvantages of using plastic pallets is that they cannot be easily repaired. This means that if the plastic breaks or cracks, you would have to melt it down and re-mold it in order to make another one.
• The repairing process can be a long and inefficient process and thus would lead most people to purchase a new pallet instead.

Wooden Pallets

Benefits of Using a Wooden Pallet

• Pallets that are made of wood are quite easy to repair. This means that they do not have to be replaced as often as pallets that are made out of other materials. All you need to do is remove and replace one of the broken wood boards.
• Wooden pallets are quite inexpensive, making them budget-friendly.
• Wooden pallets are also secure, robust and strong. This means that they also provide a greater level of security because they boast a high level of friction. This ensures that the shipment does not easily slide off when they are on the pallet.

Disadvantages of Using a Wooden Pallet

• One of the main problems is the fact that wooden pallets are that wood is an organic material and because of this it can quickly warp, weaken, or splinter. This means that whilst you may save money in relation to your initial start-up costs, you may actually end up spending more because of continual reordering costs.
• Wood pallets are extremely difficult to clean. This is because bacteria and fungus are encouraged to grow when wood comes in contact with moisture.
• Unlike plastic, wood has to be treated before it can be shipped internationally. This is because wood can contain invasive species of insects or plant diseases.