Many people think wooden pallets are the standard in the logistics industry. In reality, businesses have a multitude of options for ensuring safe and secure shipping and storage.
Wooden pallets come with several setbacks—they’re more expensive, require repair for reuse, and can be unsafe. If wood isn’t the only answer, what other choices do business owners have?
When choosing a pallet material, paper might not be the first thing you think of. However, there are many ways paper pallets are better than wooden pallets. Understanding the advantages that corrugated pallets offer will help you make smarter logistical decisions for your business.
What Are Corrugated Pallets?
If you don’t work in logistics, you might not know what corrugated means. Simply put, corrugated is a term for materials that have alternating ridges and grooves. While this design can apply to different materials, most logistics professionals use the term interchangeably with paper.
Experts make corrugated pallets from paper boards, molding them into ridges that provide structure and support. If you’ve recently packed or disassembled a cardboard box, then you’re already familiar with the material. Corrugated pallets are becoming more popular with companies in various industries, and smart business owners will quickly follow suit.
How Paper Pallets Beat Wooden Pallets
Cardboard is strong enough to move an array of home items. But does it have the capacity to transport products safely and efficiently? Since paper pallets are becoming more popular in the industry, the answer is a resounding yes.
Wooden pallets are excellent options if you can get your hands on them. However, corrugated pallets offer a variety of benefits that companies shouldn’t ignore. To assist you in making an informed decision, here are eight ways paper pallets are better than wooden pallets.
Greater Accessibility
Depending on market trends, lumber can be a difficult product to obtain. Fluctuating prices, unstable sources, shipping holdups—all of these things impact wooden pallet availability. Alternatively, the most significant advantage corrugated pallets offer is accessibility.
If your wooden pallet orders are inconsistent, look into hiring a paper pallet supplier. Logistics companies can provide alternative materials that will get your business back on track. In other words, when your primary materials are unavailable, corrugated pallets will get the job done.
Durable
It’s no secret that paper is fragile. However, believing that paper pallets are weaker than other options is a common misconception many business owners make. The truth is that corrugated pallets are just as strong as wooden pallets, making them perfectly acceptable shipping vessels in certain instances.
The strength of these pallets lies in the corrugated design. By layering the rigid structure between reinforced paper boards, you’ll have a durable pallet that can easily handle heavy loads. As long as you distribute product weight evenly, paper pallets aren’t at any higher risk of sustaining damage than their wooden alternatives.
Lightweight
Another reason why paper pallets are better than wooden pallets is their weight. Lumber pallets are heavy and require significant effort to move.
Paper pallets, on the other hand, don’t contain all of that bulk. Corrugated pallets have the advantage of being strong and lightweight. This quality helps improve many logistical aspects, including packing time, labor requirements, and transportation costs.
Cost-Effective
There are several secondary costs that come along with wooden pallets. They also cost more to manufacture and maintain, and are susceptible to all kinds of damage. Thankfully, paper pallets don’t have these issues.
Recycling paper is cheap, making corrugated pallets more cost-effective to build. Also, business owners don’t have to spend as much on repair fees since these pallets can withstand extreme conditions. If saving money is your primary goal, switching to paper pallets can help.
Sustainable
Opting for corrugated pallets isn’t only economically beneficial—it’s also good for the planet. Paper pallets are better than wooden pallets because they are more sustainable, allowing businesses to reduce their environmental impact.
Corrugated pallets are nearly 100 percent recyclable. Most manufacturers exclusively use recycled materials to create them, making paper pallets the ultimate sustainable logistics tool. Even if they do wind up in landfills, paper pallets break down faster than lumber and take up less space.
In addition, the lightweight nature of corrugated pallets reduces transportation emissions. Lighter pallets require less fuel to move, allowing businesses to conserve energy and reduce their carbon footprint.
Customizable Sizes
Shipping goods and storing products isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of job. Some industries require customized pallets to accommodate their items. Wooden pallets have strict dimensions that don’t often deviate from industry standards.
Paper pallets, however, are much more versatile—businesses can customize pallet dimensions to fit their unique products. This ensures that everything arrives at the intended destination in good condition and allows companies to pack vehicles to their ultimate capacity.
Improved Safety
You may not think pallets can be dangerous, but wooden pallets contribute to workplace injuries more frequently than you realize. Broken boards, protruding nails, and splinters can injure employees and lead to nasty infections.
If you’re looking for a safer alternative, consider choosing paper pallets for your logistical needs. Corrugated pallets have smooth edges that won’t cause painful contusions or lacerations. They also lack nails, staples, and other overhanging hardware, so you don’t have to worry about sustaining an injury.
Ready for Export
Wooden pallets go through an entire journey to prepare for export. For example, they must undergo heat treatments to kill off any organic materials still lingering in the lumber. Also, they must adhere to strict regulations that hold wooden pallets to high standards.
Alternatively, paper pallets are export ready. You don’t have to treat them to meet regulations, meaning you can avoid shipping disruptions. Corrugated pallets also meet international shipping standards, so they are always up to code no matter where they go.
Choose FALM As Your Alternative Pallet Supplier
Wooden pallets are great options for standard loads. However, they aren’t the end-all solution for everyone’s logistical needs. That’s why FALM offers competitive pricing on alternative pallet supplies for businesses in any sector.
If you’re looking for a trustworthy paper pallet supplier, look no further than First Alliance Logistics Management. With decades of experience as leading pallet experts, we can solve all of your logistic problems. Contact us today for fast shipments, superior knowledge, and out-of-this-world customer service.
