Almost every product on the consumer or industrial market is transported and stored on pallets. Pallets are devices that allow forklifts to easily access goods and expedite the loading and unloading of goods worldwide. Pallets come in a variety of materials, with the wood pallet being the most popular choice, accounting for 95% of pallets used worldwide. Plastic and metal pallets make up the remaining 5% of the market. So why are wood pallets so popular? Let’s find out the answer with us in the following article!
Why pallets made of wood are preferred over metal?
The main reason why the wood pallet is preferred over plastic or metal is that the wood pallet is less expensive and they can withstand a lot of weight. Metal pallets are usually more expensive.
Sustainable solution
As businesses look to increase their sustainability initiatives and reduce their carbon footprint, the wood pallet is an attractive option. That’s because, if a wooden pallet is damaged, it can be easily repaired or recycled. At the end of their useful life, the wood pallet can also be recycled into other products. Metal pallets can also be recycled, but the process is much more complicated and expensive.
Besides, trees are not cut down specifically to make pallets as some people mistakenly believe. The fact is that the trees are actively managed and they are only harvested for building materials and furniture. The same is true of pallet trees, they are planted to serve the purpose of producing pallets.
Reduce carbon
In addition to being recycled and reused, the wood pallet store carbon and keep it out of the atmosphere. In essence, using the wood pallet reduces an organization’s carbon footprint, which a lot of companies are trying to reduce in their supply chains. This helps to protect the environment.
International shipping
the wood pallet is disinfected with ISPM -15 standard and meets the EPAL standard issued by the European Pallet Association, which is also popular with companies transporting one-way or abroad. Metal pallets can also be shipped internationally and they do not require any handling. But because they are expensive and in humid environments, they can rust affecting the quality of pallets as well as products. So many companies prefer to use wood pallet.
Flexible size
Wood offers several other unique advantages to pallets. Because the wood pallet is assembled from lumber to size, it is very easy for manufacturers to create custom pallets with quick turnaround times. Another advantage of the wood pallet is that the varying strength can be delivered by using thicker boards or by switching from domestic acacia, to imported pine. This flexibility creates a huge advantage for wood in terms of response times and low startup costs for custom designs.
Strong joints
When comparing the wood pallet with metal pallets, both materials are very durable. But metal pallets are a combination of many components, so the joints are susceptible to weakening over time. In addition, metal pallets are often more expensive than wood pallet.
Light-weight
Before being put into use, the wood pallet was almost dried. This significantly reduces the weight of the pallet. At the same time, compared to metal pallets, the wood pallet is much lighter in weight.
