Pet owners care about their pets as they care for any member of their family, so no matter where you are in the pet food industry supply chain, you want to be sure the products you use for storage and transportation of your goods are reliable, affordable, high-quality, safe and easy-to-use.
That all starts with the type of pallets you use. If your operation currently uses wooden pallets for your shipments, you may be sacrificing cost-effectiveness, efficiency and productivity. Consider using the best plastic pallets for the pet food industry from Polymer Solutions International, Inc.
Browse Our Selection of Plastic Pallets
Logistics Challenges in the Pet Food Industry
Managing the pet food supply chain is a more complicated process than it appears on the surface. That’s why using the right pallet is so important. Here’s why hygienic plastic pallets make pet food operations easier, safer and more cost-effective:
Decreased Total Cost of Business
Consumers demand low prices, but to meet these demands, a business needs to reduce its costs of operation. Your logistics strategy is a key place to cut costs without ever needing to cut corners.
Switching to plastic pallets is a great place to start. While wood pallets are usually cheaper upfront than plastic pallets, constantly needing to purchase new wood pallets keeps costs high for businesses that reuse their shipping materials. Plus, wooden pallets are heavy and can add to the overall cost of shipping products to retailers. Plastic pallets are lighter and more durable than wood pallets, meaning you can reuse them for years on end without needing to replace them.
Reduced Risk of Damage
Wooden pallets are also less durable than plastic pallets, posing a risk for splintering or even breaking during transit. It’s possible that a splintered wooden pallet could pierce pet food packaging, thus introducing harmful chemicals and microbes into the product and potentially putting hundreds of pets at risk of illness.
Wood pallets are also held together by nails and fasteners, which can come loose and damage the integrity of your shipment if the pallet experiences serious jostling. Ripped bags or punctured cans will add to your business’s overall costs in addition to potentially causing harm to pets.
Due to their seamless one-piece design, plastic pallets are much less likely to have sharp exposed pieces than their wooden counterparts. The only thing holding a plastic pallet together is itself, so the risk of nails piercing your pet food is eliminated. If you’re committed to a safe, cost-effective logistics strategy, plastic is the way to go.
Enhanced Automation Functioning
The increasing popularity of e-commerce and automation among pet food retailers is another reason for choosing plastic pallets. Many e-commerce operations utilize automated stock retrieval systems (ASRS), which can only work when all material handling products are the same in shape and size. Because wood pallets are so easily deformed, an old pallet can cause the whole operation to temporarily shut down, which can be catastrophic for the supply chain. Durable plastic pallets maintain their original shape for years on end, making them more suitable choices for operations that rely on automation to perform shipping and handling functions.
Why Are Plastic Pallets Better for Pet Food?
We are confident you will find our pet food plastic pallets superior to conventional wooden pallets for a number of reasons, including:
- They’re more lightweight: Our plastic pallets are very lightweight compared to wood or metal pallets. They are easier for workers to manipulate and clean. They also put less stress on equipment and are lighter on the truck, which can be better for fuel economy and shipping costs.
- Plastic pallets are stronger: Our plastic pallets have a terrific strength-to-weight ratio. They are stronger than wood and are able to stand up to tough industrial conditions. They won’t dent like metal pallets or warp or chip like wood pallets.
- Plastic pallets are more hygienic: Plastic pallets do not get infested by vermin or grow mold or mildew like wood pallets can. They are incredibly easy to clean, and PSI offers hygienic plastic pallets with antimicrobial properties for superior contamination protection for pet food products.
- They last longer: Wood pallets can break down quickly and usually have to be thrown away after only a few uses. Sometimes, they’re only good for one use. However, you can reuse our plastic pallets over and over again.
- They’re safer: PSI plastic pallets have no exposed nails and produce no splinters, which makes them safer during manual handling. They also generate fewer chemical emissions and resist mold growth for better indoor air quality.
- Plastic pallets are ideal for the cold chain: Demand for fresh pet food products is on the rise, necessitating cold chain solutions. Our products can withstand extreme temperatures in reefer transport and won’t shrink or expand like wooden pallets undergoing temperature and humidity changes.
For these reasons and more, today’s biggest pet food companies are switching to plastic pallets. Find out more about our full lineup of products by browsing our website or contacting a PSI representative directly.
Quick Tips for Choosing the Right Plastic Pallet for Your Pet Food
There are several factors to consider when selecting the optimal plastic pallet for your business, including:
- Size it right: Using a pallet that’s too big for your product can lead to load imbalances, while a pallet that is too-small creates an overhang that can increase product damage potential.
- Mind the guidelines: Choosing material handling solutions that meet highly regulated hygienic standards is crucial to avoid fines and boost pet safety.
- Watch the weight: Selecting the ideal style and size to support cargo weight is key to preventing equipment damage and employee injuries from a pallet failure.
- Match the application: Aligning your pallet option to the application — for example, racking versus shipping — ensures compatibility with the specific activity.
PSI’s Pet Food Pallet Solutions
PSI’s plastic pallets for pet supplies are excellent, effective solutions for companies looking to enhance their supply chains.
Our ProGenic® line of plastic pallets is specifically designed for sensitive industries like pharmaceuticals, food and pet food. They come in four different variations to meet the needs of every application. All ProGenic® pallets are fully compliant with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements regarding the design and composition of hygienic pallets.
We also make pallets specifically for holding cans, which can be beneficial for companies that produce canned food. Made of 100 percent recyclable material with a built-in area for bar codes, logos and RFID tags, this pallet is suitable for the transport and storage of canned products. Combine it with our 44 x 56 plastic top frame for even more safeguarding against product damage. Additionally, you can boost the pallet’s protection against bacteria by adding an antimicrobial coating or another protective product.
We also offer custom solutions if you need specific colors, sizes or other requirements.
Why Polymer Solutions International, Inc. Has the Best Plastic Pallets for the Pet Food Industry
PSI is pet food manufacturers’ chosen pallet supplier for many reasons.
Selection
Our plastic pallets are becoming increasingly popular in the pet food industry. We have a huge selection of plastic pallets, and that allows us to come up with the best solution for your pet food industry materials handling needs. Our customizable options include ultra-hygienic antimicrobial-treated pallets as well as RFID-tagged plastic pet food pallets that allow you to keep track of your reusable pallets throughout their journey through the supply chain.
Sustainability
In addition to all the benefits to your company, you’ll also be doing your part for the environment when you order pet food plastic pallets from PSI. We have a strong commitment to sustainability, and when you are done reusing your plastic pallets, we are happy to buy them back and recycle them to use their raw materials for other products, reducing waste and lowering your carbon footprint.
Custom-Engineered Solutions
Sometimes a classic offering just doesn’t meet unique needs. Count on the engineers at PSI to solve the issue. Our talented team collaborates with you to design the ideal product. We’re here to lend our expertise each step of the way, from concept to manufacture.
Benefits of our bespoke solutions include:
- Regulatory compliance: Our design professionals have the knowledge to deliver results that meet the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) hygiene and sanitation requirements for the pet food industry.
- Branding options: We can add hot-stamp or molded-in custom branding to reinforce your messaging and help you identify assets belonging to your facilities.
- Precision: Our engineers develop to-spec options, so you can remain confident your pallets are compatible with your existing systems.
Trust PSI for Your Pet Food Pallet Needs
We’ve been a global leader in pallet design and manufacture since 1997 and serve customers in over 110 countries. Our solutions have enabled our partners to improve their supply chain costs while supporting greener business practices.
To learn more about PSI plastic pallets for the pet food industry or to place an order, contact us now.
