Why You Should Choose A Wooden Pallet For Your Goods
02 Jul 2018
Pallets came into popular use just after World War II and have done much to revolutionise the distribution industry in the years since. Today pallets are available in a variety of materials, but the traditional wooden pallet still dominates the industry, so why choose a wooden pallet?
Why Wood?
The big advantage of wooden pallets is that they are widely available and low-cost. They are durable and provide a solid base for the shipping of almost any type of goods. And of course pallets are compatible with modern mechanical handling systems, making them easy to load, offload and store. They also have the advantage of a high-friction surface, so goods being shipped aren’t likely to move around in transit, and pallets themselves can be safely stacked. While other materials like plastic may have a longer life, they are costlier to produce. The other advantage of wood is that if it should be damaged, either the affected components can be easily replaced with some more wood and a hammer and nails or the whole thing can be recycled for DIY use or as firewood.
When you choose a wooden pallet you also know that it can be reused many times. There is a ready market for used pallets, so they are easy to dispose of, and as we’ve already seen there are plenty of options to recycle or repurpose the material at the end of its life as a pallet. You’ll often see wood from pallets used for fencing, garden planters or even as furniture, giving it extra use after its life in logistics is over.
Whatever type of goods you are shipping, there are many good reasons to choose a wooden pallet to do the job. Whether it’s a one-off shipment or a regular consignment, wooden pallets offer an affordable, safe and easy to handle solution. While using timber may not, on the surface, seem to be a particularly eco-friendly solution, most pallets are now made of materials from sustainable sources, and of course there is a wide range of options for disposal or reuse one they reach the end of their useful life.