Tips for Choosing Wooden Pallets for Packaging
Wooden pallets are a solid option for shipping various items, and selecting the right wooden pallets for packaging can make a big difference in efficiency, cost, and sustainability.
This article takes a look at choosing wooden pallets, sharing some tips on how to choose the type of pallet that is best for your business.
Understanding Wooden Pallets
There are many types of pallets, and knowing your options can help you make solid decisions regarding packaging. There are also numerous elements involved in pallet construction, and being familiar with these components can also influence what pallets you choose. We provide a list of pallet definitions that you can reference for better understanding varieties and aspects of wooden pallets.
Types of Wooden Pallets for Packaging
Wooden pallets are important for packaging, helping secure items during storage and transport. There are multiple options available, with benefits of each that can influence pallet selection:
New wood pallets
Challenger is an industry leader in the creation of new pallets. We create and supply standard 48” x 40” pallets. And we make ordering pallets simple. If you need pallets of a different size, please get in touch, as we custom-make pallets to client-requested size specifications.
Heat-treated pallets
If your business ships internationally, then heat-treated pallets may well be the best option for your company. The heat treatment these pallets receive helps ensure that bugs and other foreign species are not inadvertently transported from country to country. Ensuring that the timber you’re using is bug-free is essential, and that can supply the peace of mind that use of heat-treated pallets provides.
Repaired and remanufactured pallets
Repaired pallets are pallets that have been previously used and have since been repaired to be used again. Remanufactured pallets are a little different, as these have used components but are built with new lumber.
Both repaired and refurbished pallets are fantastic options for clients who want to save money and who are interested in the environmental aspects of pallet usage.
Stringer and block pallets
Stringer and block pallets are both effective options for packaging. Stringer pallets have boards called stringers—typically 2x4s, but sizes can differ—that span the length of pallets to provide support. Block pallets are constructed with cubic block supports between top and bottom deck boards.
Tips: Selecting Wooden Pallets for Packaging
When you are selecting wooden pallets for your packaging needs, consider all of the elements that make a particular pallet the best choice. It’s also a good idea to avoid placing a one-size-fits-all approach here though, as you may have different needs for different items. As such, you may find that purchasing different types of pallets is best, depending on what you’re shipping, and where you’re shipping to.
What should you consider when choosing wooden pallets? Here are suggestions for consideration:
Load capacity and weight distribution
If you’re constantly shipping out hundreds of products, or extremely heavy ones, load capacity and weight distribution are paramount concerns. One thing you certainly don’t need is your wooden pallets breaking in transit because of incorrect load weights or weight distribution.
Static, dynamic, and racking load capacities are important considerations. Static load capacity is how much weight a pallet can hold while on a solid, flat surface. Dynamic load capacity identifies how much weight a pallet can support while in motion, that is while lifted or moved. Racking load capacity refers to how much a pallet can hold while on an unsupported racking system, which is shelving for holding pallets in warehouses and similar settings.
Ensure that you check all pallets you may purchase for their maximum capacity, and determine whether the selected pallets can hold enough based on how much you store and ship.
Destination and compliance
It’s imperative that you consider where your wooden pallets are going and that they comply with the relevant shipping rules and regulations.
International shipping has its own set of rules, and solid wood pallets must be ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15) certified to be able to cross international borders. ISPM-15 certification mandates that wood packaging is debarked, heat-treated, and stamped with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) mark.
All pallets should be checked upon ordering to ensure they are suitable for the shipping method you intend to use.
Reuse and durability
Considering what items you plan to ship and how many times you plan to reuse pallets should influence the durability level of the pallets you select. Remember, the structural integrity of pallets is important for human and product safety.
Cost and value
We also want to encourage you to consider the cost and value of the wooden pallets that you may purchase. Companies may want to take the approach of saving in the short-term, but this may not make the most financial sense in the long-term if you are constantly having to replace pallets.
A consideration regarding cost and value, for example, is that hardwood pallets are more durable than softwood pallets, but softwood pallets are lighter, and therefore may be cheaper to build and ship.
Think about how much you have to spend on pallets, and then focus on getting the best option, at the best quality, for the best price overall.
Environmental factors
As a pallet supplier, we value sustainability. Our partners are involved in actively planting trees, and we give focus to reducing waste and to recycling. Using repaired and remanufactured pallets can also make an environmental difference.
Professional Wooden Pallet Supplier
Challenger is a professional supplier of various types of wooden pallets for packaging needs. Please contact us for personalized and professional service. We can talk with you about options, answer questions that you may have, and help you secure wooden pallets for your business. We look forward to hearing from you.