“You’re using plastic pallets at the moment? That’s good.”
If our sales director were to say those words to you, you’d probably be confused. As a paper pallet company, you’d be forgiven for thinking we think everyone should only be using PALLITE®, all the time. It is true that we strongly believe in the science behind PALLITE®, and in our designs’ comparative performance to the other alternatives out there. And we do believe that the benefits of PALLITE®mean most companies would find it to their advantage to use PALLITE® for some or all of their pallet requirements. But that doesn’t mean we are against other alternatives to wood, used in the right circumstances.
Consider this: you’re hardly likely to use the industrial vacuum cleaner you use to clean your factory floor to hoover your suburban semi. And a Lamborghini might not be the best car to take on the school run. It’s the same with pallets. Plastic is a great option if it is used in the right circumstances. But if you want to be sure you’re using the best product for your business requirements, you should consider PALLITE®.
Like plastic pallets, PALLITE® paper pallets weigh significantly less than wooden ones, which can help to reduce fuel and other transport costs. They’re also exempt from the ISPM15 regulations that apply when shipping wooden pallets, 100% recyclable, resistant to mould and bugs, and completely safe to handle – with no nails, splinters or other fastenings to damage goods in transit. Both plastic pallets and PALLITE® pallets are suitable for use in sterile areas. Plastic can be cleaned to a very high standard by hot washing, steam cleaning or chemical sanitisation so there are some instances where it is the only pallet that can be used, but there are many more where PALLITE® is a viable alternative.
Many customers in the food and pharmaceutical industries already use PALLITE® pallets to carry their products into sterile environments. Plastic pallets are very durable and usable in all climates. But PALLITE® pallets are again a viable equivalent for many customers, as they remain as strong throughout their lifespan as the day they leave our factory, and are able to be used in wet environments. Plastic pallets are often used for in-store displays in the retail sector, as they can be produced in a variety of colours, but PALLITE® pallets are also aesthetically pleasing and would not look unattractive or out-of-place underneath in-store displays if required.
There are many reasons why customers may benefit from choosing PALLITE® pallets over plastic:
STRENGTH
Neither plastic nor paper pallets can hold as much weight as wooden pallets, but they are both nonetheless still very strong. As most corrugated pallets can only hold around 300kg, many people believe plastic is the strongest alternative pallet out there. But they are wrong. Standard recyclable plastic pallets are best for loads weighing less than 680kg, and they are generally not suitable for storage on shelves. Meanwhile, PALLITE® can hold up to 1.2 tonnes, and store up to 750kg in open beam racking. This is because our pallets are constructed from paper cells resembling honeycomb, which are capable of bearing higher loads than the fluting that forms the basis of corrugated pallets. Plastic pallets will regularly last at least 250 trips, but will lose their strength over time, unlike PALLITE®, which remains as strong throughout its lifespan as it is when it leaves our factory brand new.
COST
Plastic pallets can cost 2-3 times as much as wooden pallets, making them an expensive option for one-way or export shipping, when the pallets are not returned. PALLITE® is a cost-effective alternative pallet for one-way or export, and is significantly lighter than wood, making it a great option for air freight and shipping. With the UK Government looking to abolish all plastic waste by 2042 and increasingly targeting single-use plastics – especially plastic packaging – through high-cost packaging recovery notes, it is clear that the move is towards more environmentally-friendly forms of packaging. This move will increasingly be motivated by consumer demand, as well as by businesses themselves wanting to avoid higher charges for waste recovery. Users of plastic pallets may wish to acknowledge this trend away from plastics and consider other alternative options to wood – before it impacts their bottom line.
MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY
Both plastic and paper pallets are 100% recyclable. Plastic, being made from man-made materials, is less eco-friendly than paper, and must be melted down and remoulded into new pallets. On the other hand, PALLITE® can be recycled with other paper and card waste through traditional recycling schemes that will often pay for the waste, creating an additional revenue stream.
FIRE SAFETY
Plastic pallets burn at a much higher temperature than wooden and paper pallets, which are often rated the same by fire safety experts.
BESPOKE AT NO GREAT COST
Unlike their plastic counterparts, paper pallets can be custom-made to size and load without the need for expensive tools and moulding equipment, as they are cheaper and easier to produce.
If you’re thinking about moving away from wood to an alternative pallet, and you’re considering plastic, why not also consider the benefits of PALLITE®? And if you’re already using plastic, are you sure that’s the right choice for all of your transportation requirements? If you’re looking for a pallet that not only does the job, but results in a whole lot of additional benefits for your company too, why not try PALLITE®? Then maybe you’ll say to us: “Plastic’s good, but it’s no PALLITE®”.
