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About Plastic Pallets
Plastic pallets are platforms which are used for the
storing and transporting of products. They are designed to be long-lasting,
requiring little maintenance or repair. Plastic pallet manufacturers
mold their products to be rackable, nested or stacked. They are water
resistance, and therefore, are perfect for outdoor storage, for use in
automated warehouses and to store or transport products that must remain
dry. Plastic pallets can also withstand below-freezing temperatures.
They are also very hygienic because they are easy to clean, can be sterilized
at temperatures reaching 120 degrees centigrade and can be high-pressure
washed.
Plastic pallet manufacturers typically offer sizes from 20” x 28” to
48” x 72” but can easily meet uncommon specifications. Plastic
pallet configurations allow pallet jacks to pick them up from all four
sides. The top deck of a pallet can be either open or closed. A closed
deck is basically solid with a continuous surface; an open deck has slots,
holes or a grid. The bottom deck configurations are as follows: full,
full perimeter, three-stringer or legs only. A full deck is fully covered
or has grid-work. The perimeter of a full perimeter deck is completely
covered. Three-stringer decks have three stringers, or boards, running
parallel from front to back, either length- or width-wise. Some plastic
pallet manufacturers have overcome the problem of slippery surfaces by
adding sand to the mix of plastic or placing a non-skid strip on the
top deck.
Plastic pallets hold a distinct advantage over wooden pallets. Although
the initial cost of plastic pallets is a great deal more than wooden
pallets, plastic pallets have a much longer lifespan. While wooden pallets
last just a few trips, plastic pallets may be used for years. Plastic
pallets are also lighter than wooden pallets by about 30 to 40% and can
hold just as much weight. They are safer than wooden pallets, as there
are no splinters, nails or sharp corners to consider. Plastic pallets
are made of recycled feedstock and are 100% recyclable. Plastic pallets,
unlike wooden pallets, are non-absorbent and impervious to odors, acids,
fats or solvents. Thus, plastic export pallets are unlikely to be delayed
or quarantined due to issues of infestation that plague wooden pallets.
Many international industries—such as food, pharmaceuticals, rubber,
electronics, building and construction, automotive, freight forwarding,
agriculture and nurseries—have embraced the use of plastic pallets.
Companies that have closed-loop distribution systems benefit greatly
from the reusable plastic pallets, as the trucks drop off and pick up
supplies on a frequent basis. Non-closed loop companies, which were hesitant
to make such a huge initial investment, have saved a large amount by
using a bar-coding system to track hundreds of thousands of plastic pallets.
Smaller companies have used a deposit system or imprinted the company
name on the plastic pallet itself.
Featured
Articles
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http://www.sdbmagazine.com/articles/article.asp?Id=3332&SubCatID=16&CatID=6
Types of Plastic Pallets
- are designed to accommodate
special requirements of size, handling and storage.
- are used to ship products overseas and are usually
made of wood.
- are usually wooden platforms on which products are placed and wrapped for transportation and storage.
- have walls or a basket to better stabilize
and contain products.
- can be held on pallet racks for storage.
- are used to stack and transport products
or materials.
- with wheels for easier movement.
- can be edge supported for indefinite periods of
time on either the width or the length side.
- are platforms used in packaging on which goods are placed for transportation.
- have been used to ship or store a product but
are still in working condition.
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