News

A battle of the pallets broke out last month when SCA Packaging launched two new products in its Stax range of corrugated board pallets, targeting the heavy-duty market and prompting a swift riposte from the Timber Packaging and Pallet Confederation (Timcon).

SCA was keen to sell the green credentials of its new additions, while Timcon maintained that there was no substitute for timber. Given that plastic is yet another option, it begs the question: what pallet type should the discerning company choose?

SCA's Stax Mini and Solo are entirely recyclable, while earlier versions had a paper core that was difficult for recyclers to handle because a lot of glue was used in the manufacturing process. "Also, you can make more corrugated pallets per tree than timber pallets," says market manager Martyn Reader.

 
Corrugated pallets also come in various designs to match the product and its supply chain, and are being used by a broad range of sectors. "Originally, it was food and pharmaceuticals, but now we are talking to companies in the automotive and rubber sectors," says Reader.

SCA claims corrugated pallets are safer because they are designed for single use, so there is no danger of cross-contamination. "Some companies are having to pay to treat their timber pallets to meet new EU regulations for hygiene. You don’t need to do that with our pallets," adds Reader.

Space savers
One concern about corrugated pallets is that they can’t be stored outside, which is common practice at most transport companies. However, Adam Anderson of DS Smith believes this is not a drawback. "Corrugated pallets generally have a smaller inside storage footprint than wood, especially our Evolution pallet, which is supplied flat and erected on site. Around 90 corrugated pallets can be stored in the same space as eight wooden ones."

Reader confirms that SCA research has revealed fewer firms are storing pallets outside because they are "having to move more products, more quickly". 
Other benefits of corrugated are the sub-£6 price tag for a standard pallet and ease of management with no complicated pooling. They are also export approved and their uniform shape makes them perfect for automated systems.

That's not to say that there’s no place for timber. The promotion of corrugated pallets as a more environmentally friendly alternative is not an argument that gives Timcon much cause for concern.
President John Dye says: "Timber is the most socially responsible and cost-effective solution for the storage, transport and movement of goods. It has unrivalled sustainable qualities." Only wood pallets and packaging can be repaired, reused and recycled or burned for energy recovery, which can have the added benefit of displacing fossil fuels that may otherwise have been used.

"Carbon dioxide emissions associated with the harvesting, transportation and manufacturing of wood are heavily outweighed by the amount of carbon that timber stores. While a tree is growing, CO2 is absorbed from the atmosphere and stored as carbon in the tree, meaning that wood has a negative carbon intensity," he adds.
Just about every sector requiring the transportation, storage or movement of goods has used, or still uses, timber pallets. They can be designed for a one-way trip or multi-use and can be repaired time and time again. "There are no drawbacks," enthuses Dye.

Plastic popularity
And what of plastic? Jim Hardisty, managing director of All Pallets, says one of the big advantages of plastic pallets is that, because they are made from a mould, they will always be the same size.
"This is important for automated systems, which also benefit from the fact they do not twist or distort. Some highly automated systems designed for wooden pallets just do not work, and the operators switch to plastic to resolve problems with jamming," he says.

Plastic pallets are also cleaner, and as a result are gaining popularity for food applications. They can be washed and there are no splinters, nails, dust or mould. "Plastic pallets are lighter than metal, and do not rust or degrade. They do not dissolve in the wet as corrugated ones do, and they can carry a bigger load," continues Hardisty.
Plastic pallets carry dynamic loads of up to 2,000kg, although some are steel-reinforced to carry higher weights. They are also mostly made from recycled materials that can be recycled again. Prices start at £9 for a standard version, but can reach £60 for a full hygienic pallet.

Hardisty admits that one drawback is that changing to plastic pallets can involve some upfront investment to get long-term savings.
The lifespan of a pallet is not as simple as plastic versus wood, either. "The length of life of a pallet, regardless of the material it is made of, is dependent on the forklift truck driver," says Derek Forrester, director of Hampshire Pallets.

Haulage contractors and logistics firms are faced with manipulating and moving pallets daily, and as far as they are concerned it doesn’t matter which type of pallet you use. Whether it's corrugated, plastic or timber, they will take whatever they are given by the client.
Nigel Parkes, managing director of freight firm Pallet-Track, says: "We'll move anything as long as it is sufficient and robust enough to carry the weight of goods on it."