Pallets are mainly used for shipping goods. Depending on your needs or goods, you can either require wood, plastic, steel or custom-made pallets. You can also choose between used or new pallets, which depends on what you want to use them for and your budget. How are these pallets different?
Wooden Pallets
Wooden pallets are suitable for heavy goods and goods that cannot be affected by wood and its properties. What does this mean? If you are exporting goods that require a level of hygiene or are fragile, wood might not be the best material. Wood can give off moisture and compromise hygiene. Wood edges can also puncture fragile materials.
A good thing about wooden pallets is that they are cheap and can be recycled. This means that a majority of people can afford them and they are environmentally friendly.
Plastic Pallets
Plastic pallets are suitable for hygienic and fragile goods. They can also be used for pharmaceuticals and refrigerated goods. The cold does not affect them. They might, however, not be able to support much weight.
A good thing about plastic is that it lasts for a long time when compared to wood. It does not get damaged easily, but if it does, there is no repair. It can only be melted to be recycled. Plastic pallets are also expensive.
Steel Pallets
Since steel is a strong and durable material, it is used to make pallets that cater for those businesses with heavy-duty requirements. Steel pallets can support plenty of weight, can be used outdoors for a long period, are not affected by most chemicals and can be used in places where hygiene is a requirement. They can, however, be expensive.
New or Used Pallets
Steel and plastic pallets have a long life and can be reused multiple times. The only thing that might change is the price, where newer pallets might be pricier.
Though wood pallets can be reused, they are not reused multiple times because they are considered cheap. Instead, every time a shipment is made, new wooden pallets are used. Older pallets are sold for other uses, such as firewood, carpentry or other wood needs.
Custom Pallets
Sometimes, only standard-sized wood, plastic or steel pallets are available. Some may not match the measurements of the goods you want to ship. In such a scenario, you may require customised pallets. Inform the pallet company to get fitting pallets made on time.
