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Pallet Effectiveness
Pallets are widely used throughout many countries world wide. Pallets are slowly overtaking barrels, kegs, boxes and crates due to the simple structure and effectiveness of a safe transportation method. A pallet is a flat stable structure which allows for the transportation of goods. Pallets are made of many materials such as wood, metal and plastic. The flat structure of the pallet allows goods to be transported in an easy and effective manor. Due to the increase in transportation of goods the pallet has become more popular, which has increased the demand. This article will look at uses for pallets and the differences between plastic and wooden pallets.
Pallets are continually being transported and re-used worldwide as pallets can make handling and the transportation of products easy. Whether they are used to transport food, materials, clothes or technology pallets can help compact products together to increase safety, reduce the amount of space taken up by products and help to prevent damage during transportation. Not only are they useful for transportation but maneuvering products around can be made easier with pallets to.
Pallets are designed with a gap between the bottom and the top of the pallet. This helps to insert forklift spikes, which will then lift the pallet and goods and transfer them from one place to another. Pallets are therefore useful in warehouses and supermarkets, where a large quantity of goods may be transported at any one time. Not only does this help save time but pallets can also help reduce injury or risk of injury in a workplace, as staff are not required to lift heavy products.
When deciding on a specific pallet to use you must take into account the effectiveness of both the material and the design. Pallets come in different shapes and sizes which indicates that each pallet has been designed for a different use. When deciding on the appropriate source you should look into the shape, weight and size of the products being stored on the pallet. The bigger and heavier the product the more structure and strength is required to hold the product. Plastic pallets are harder to make and produce as they require high energy and specialized equipment to produce. However plastic pallets are the greener option as wooden pallets require harvesting of trees to produce.
The pallet market 2010 in CHINA
In China, annual production of new pallets is roughly 200 million. Plastic pallets account for six million with the figure Ltdreasing by 5% annually.
Plastic Pallet Users Face Tougher Standards
Facilities that store loads on reinforced polypropylene and polyethylene now have a higher fire classification and will be subject to more stringent requirements.
Warehouses that utilize reinforced polypropylene and polyethylene Plastic pallets now have to meet stricter requirements. During its annual meeting in May, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) endorsed changes to the NFPA 13 standards, which define the fire ratings of these plastic pallets and form the basis for most state fire code laws.
Because plastic pallets are considered a more serious threat to warehouses than wooden pallets, the NFPA has always been stricter on warehouses storing loads on plastic. It had previously required a one-class upgrade in fire protection from that defined for storage on wooden pallets. Under the new regulations, a two-class upgrade is now mandatory for users of reinforced polypropylene and polyethylene plastic pallets. Unreinforced plastic pallets still require a one-class upgrade over wooden counterparts.
The new standards were approved because of the higher risk posed by reinforced plastic pallets. In contrast, unreinforced plastic pallets melt fairly easily in a fire and often suppress flames. "The reinforced pallets hold their structure and integrity longer," says Christian Dubay, a fire protection engineer with NFPA. "This allows air gaps to remain longer within the pallet, which fuels the flames and creates a more intense fire." In addition, plastics generate toxins in much greater concentrations than corrugated and wood.
The pallet market 2010 in EUROPE
Over the past ten years, the total number of reusable pallets circulating in Europe has Ltdreased by 25% from 280 million to about 370 million. Here the EuroPallet (standard transport pallet made of wood measuring 800 x 1200 mm and weighing 20-24 kg, held together with 78 special nails) is most widely used with a share of over 300 million. Plastic pallets account for about 6% of the market. Every year around 36 million new EuroPallets are produced throughout Europe to replace damaged ones. In total some 50 million new reusable pallets are manufactured annually, three million of which are made of plastic. Given the excellent properties of plastic pallets and the export regulations governing wooden pallets, the market for plastic pallets is constantly growing.The growth potential for plastic pallets is between 3-5%.
Plastic Pallets in US - Plastic pallet demand to exceed 50 million in 2012
Demand for plastic pallets is projected to rise nearly five percent per year to more than 50 million pallets in 2012. Pallet users are opting for plastic pallets due to their durability. Plastic pallets are easy to clean, and meet US and international phytosanitary requirements for shipping, making them ideal for product shippers with neither the time nor resources to continually sterilize pallets. Plastic pallets can last a long time without requiring time-consuming repairs, and can be easily recycled once they have reached the end of their product lifespan. Additionally, plastic pallets can possess sufficient strength despite a weight much less than that made from other materials, an important consideration to value-conscious long-distance shippers.
Plastic pallets that provide reuse and overall cost reduction have good growth prospects
Low-cost wood is still dominantly used for pallets, but reusability of plastics is a growing attraction among manufacturers looking for sustainable material-handling options. Wood pallet remains a strong force globally for transportation, distribution and storage of manufactured products. Its pre-eminence has been dictated largely by cost, but plastic pallets continue to make inroads because of their durability, reusability and light weight. Plastic pallets made by injection molding, structural foam, thermoforming, rotational molding and compression molding are gaining acceptance in a range of markets including foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, groceries, automotive and the US Postal Service. The difficulty and cost of wood pallet disposal has always been a concern, but recent focus on the environment is fueling a renewed interest in plastics as an alternative. Reusability is a major attraction making them more economically feasible on a cost-per-trip basis, but the one major hurdle is rising resin prices.
Though introduced in 1960s, it was only in the 1980s, that the automotive market pioneered the use of reusable plastic pallets to minimize handling costs and eliminate disposable packaging issues. Because they cost more than wood, plastic pallets have always had their niche in managed pools or captive closed-loop systems for work-in-process or distribution. Several plastic pallet makers have capitalized by introducing low-cost versions that compete favorably with wood. One method of containing costs is to use recycled resin and scrap regrind. Another factor favoring plastics are international regulations that require treatment of wood to reduce pest migration in export pallets. In future, plastic pallets are expected to play an even larger role as companies adopt greater levels of automation in their warehouses. Greater automation requires repeatability and reliability, and plastics' tailored designs and consistent dimensions and weights offer a distinct advantage over wood pallets, which are vulnerable to splintering off shards and pulling apart as nails loosen.