Note: Continuing from our look at presswood pallets, our discussion of export pallets now considers plastic pallets for export.
Buying export pallets? One important benefit of plastic pallets for export is that they do not require special treatments as would wood,” notes Amnon Shalman, CEO of Cabka North America (www.cabka.com), an international plastic pallet supplier.
Taking a step back, in the course of global trade flows, pests can quickly reach every continent and harm the local agriculture and forests. With this in mind, ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures) guidelines have been created to regulate wood packaging material in international trade to prevent the spread of pests. These guidelines require measures such as heat treatment or fumigation prior to eliminate pests and to protect the wood against new infections.
Bottom's up. Cabka pallet provides 35% more bottom coverage than regular nestable pallets.
Non-solid timber pallets such as those constructed from presswood, paper, metal or plastic are exempt from treatment requirements. Plastic pallets have been in the marketplace since the 1960s, however it has only been in recent years that their popularity for export usage has really escalated.
It should be cautioned, however, that there is more to pallet selection than the price tag. The cheapest pallets available might not be the best fit for your application.
“Plastic pallets are available in a dizzying array of high tech designs and materials, each of which has a definite place in what is a very diverse marketplace,” noted Hartson Poland of PDQ Plastics (www.pdqplastics.com), a plastic pallet supplier.
Increasingly, his role has moved towards reviewing the requirements of the customer’s unit load application from the time the empty pallets are unloaded from the supplier, through to palletization, shipment and then handling and recycling abroad. The goal is to match the best value pallet that will guarantee a successful shipment. Getting the cheapest plastic pallet might be a costly mistake if it results in damaged products or problematic business relationships, he cautioned.
One important aspect of pallet selection, Amnon noted, is fitting the pallet footprint size to the country of destination. For example, while the standard size in North America is 48×40”, we see 1165x1165mm in Australia, 1200x800mm in Europe and 1100x1100mm as well as 1200x1000mm in Asia as common sizes. Cabka has also introduced square pallets ranging from 43×43” to 45×45” designed to optimize the fit into ISO freight containers. Overall, Cabka offers over 60 different pallet models to best meet customer needs.
“For sure there was a shift to plastic ,” Amnon commented when asked about how the introduction of ISPM 15 has impacted the export pallet market. “If now a company like Cabka can provide a plastic pallet that can compete against the price of wood, why a customer should not decide for the plastic pallet? He does not require anymore the bureaucratic and labeling expenses for export wood pallets. And he can benefit from the lower weight, important for air freight, and better handling of plastic pallets.” Cabka’s export style plastic pallet business has continued to expand, even while the economy has been slow, Amnon noted.
What’s to like about plastic export pallets?
- ISPM 15 exempt
- Light weight (air freight and manual handling benefits)
- Competitive pricing
- Consistent sizing and weight (of a given model)
- Nestability to reduce freight costs and empty storage space in the facility
- Made from recycled plastic and totally recyclable
- Many styles and sizes available
- Can be stored outdoors
- Cleanliness (no debris or splinters)
Today, plastic pallets are used for a great many applications in addition to export. With technological improvements, plastic pallets are designed to give great performance at lighter weight and better durability.
Typical markets using plastic pallets include:
- Automotive and Supplier Industries
- U.S. Postal Service
- Dry Grocery and Produce Industries
- Meat Processors.
- Beverage and Beverage Container Industries
- Pharmaceutical Industries
- Warehouses using captive pallets
Next up, our review of export pallets shifts to the increasingly popular paper pallet.
