What kind of pallets is your company using? If your business involves the storage, shipping or distribution of products in any way, you probably have a warehouse full of pallets, but what are they made of? More and more companies are turning to plastic pallets as their preferred storage or shipping pallet. In fact, recent plastic pallet market analysis shows that plastic pallet industry growth should be dramatic over the next 10 years or so. Why are plastic pallet market trends so favorable?

Benefits to Plastic Pallets

As plastic pallets have come into common use more and more, the many benefits of plastic pallets over wood pallets have become clear. Plastic pallets are:

• Durable: Working with your product expert, you will find there are several components that make a specific pallet strong and safe for your application. If it’s properly specified, tested and confirmed by your end users and equipment, there is little reason, sans theft or abuse, that you shouldn’t expect that plastic pallet to last a long time. Wood pallets, in contrast, can quite easily splinter, break or rot over a relatively short period of time.
• Cost-effective: Because of their durability, one plastic pallet could conceivably take the place of many wooden pallets. You can reuse plastic pallets over and over again, while many wooden pallets may offer only a few uses or even a single use. This can be analyzed by a cost per trip calculator.
• Easy to handle: There are no rough edges or splintered wood pieces with plastic pallets, which means workers could, if they so choose, feel free to handle plastic pallets with their bare hands with minimal risk of injury.
• Eco-friendly: While wood pallets are biodegradable, they’re thrown out so frequently that they may create a large amount of refuse that’s not recycled. Furthermore, they usually contain nails or screws that are not biodegradable. Plastic pallets can be used over and over again, creating no new refuse, and recycled when they reach the end of their useful life.
• Hygienic: Wood pallets can be nesting grounds for fungi and bacteria and are difficult to clean, making them a poor choice for transporting products that are at risk of contamination, like food or pharmaceuticals. Plastic pallets are much more hygienic and easier to clean.

The Future of Plastic Pallets Is Now

How can you use this information about the future of plastic pallets to the benefit of your company? The sooner you switch over from wood to plastic pallets, the easier the transition will be and the more you can benefit. Polymer Solutions International can help, with one-piece hygienic plastic pallets suitable for transportation and storage of goods across a wide range of industries.

Our plastic material handling products are durable, affordable and cost-effective, providing all the benefits that are making plastic pallets the preferred choice for companies all over the world. For more information about our plastic material handling products and how they can benefit your business, contact PSI today. We’ll gladly answer any questions you have and help you choose the best plastic pallets for your business.