| For many years, large wooden pallets were used in | | | | conceivably be used for years before it has to be |
| shipping products from one place to another by air, | | | | replaced, if it ever does. |
| sea, railways, and on the highway. Recently, many | | | | Flexibility |
| companies have made the shift from wooden pallets | | | | In addition to their durability, plastic pallets also have the |
| toplastic pallets, a decision that is based on sound | | | | advantage of accommodating different types of |
| reasoning at various levels of concern. In this article, | | | | goods within the same pallet. Most plastic pallets will |
| we will take a look at why plastic pallets are superior | | | | include dividers of various sizes, allowing the pallet to |
| to wooden pallets when it comes to transportation of | | | | be adapted to the goods that one wishes to ship or |
| goods. | | | | receive. |
| Durability | | | | The flexibility of plastic pallets may also mean savings |
| One of the most important advantages of a plastic | | | | when it comes to transportation costs. Wooden pallets |
| pallet is the durability of the material over wood. This | | | | must be stacked in a certain way once emptied; |
| benefits the both shipper and receiver in a number of | | | | plastic pallets, on the other hand, can be collapsed and |
| areas. | | | | fit into a much smaller space. This means that less |
| Plastic pallets won't splinter. Wood pallets are prone to | | | | room is used on the transport vehicle, resulting in lower |
| splintering during shipping. These splinters can be | | | | costs and fewer trips. |
| messy and may even create a safety hazard for | | | | Finally, consider the environmental impact of plastic and |
| handlers. Perhaps even more important, splinters have | | | | wood. While it is true that plastic will break down at a |
| the potential to damage the goods for which the | | | | much slower rate, this simply means that a plastic |
| pallets are supposed to be protecting. Plastic is a highly | | | | pallet will be used for a much longer period of time (in |
| cohesive material that is unlikely to chip during even | | | | fact, much, much longer). The continual construction of |
| rough transport, with no chance of large splinters | | | | replacement wooden pallets is much more harmful to |
| breaking off. | | | | the environment than plastic pallets, which can not only |
| Cost efficient. Of course, the more durable a palletis, | | | | be used over and over for years, but they also have |
| the more money saved by the shipper or receiver. | | | | the potential to be recycled, and be made from |
| Wooden pallets are much more likely to break apart | | | | recycled materials. |
| sooner than plastic pallets; a plastic pallet can | | | | |