A lot about plastic pallets has changed since I started reporting on them over 28 years ago. Pallet technology is undergoing a significant transformation driven by innovative companies like ORBIS Corporation. Alison Zitzke, Key Market Manager at ORBIS, recently jumped on a call with Reusable Packaging News, providing insights into the latest advancements in pallet design, focusing on four key innovations: the Odyssey, P3, Odyssey Low Profile, and the 3-Runner Odyssey. These advancements enhance efficiency in various applications and address critical issues such as sustainability and warehouse automation.
The Odyssey Pallet Series: A New Standard in Durability and Efficiency
ORBIS’s Odyssey® pallet family represents a significant leap in pallet technology, designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern logistics and warehousing. The Odyssey pallet stands out for its durability and versatility, making it suitable for heavy-duty applications with a rackable load capacity ranging from 2200 to 2800 pounds.
One of the critical innovations within the Odyssey series is the Low Profile Odyssey pallet. It is positioned to help convert the pallet rental market. Zitzke noted, “It looks almost exactly the same, but it’s made to target those pooled pallets.” The slight reduction in height—just four-tenths of an inch—makes a substantial difference for customers transitioning from traditional wood block pallets, offering improved compatibility with existing systems while dramatically improving performance.
P3 Pallet: Lightweight Efficiency for Primary Packaging
Designed with the primary packaging industry in mind, the ORBIS P3 pallet is a lightweight solution ideal for applications that do not require heavy-duty racking. Zitzke described it as “our light-duty stackable pallet for anything that’s not going in a rack or if it is going to be racked only up to 1200 pounds.” This pallet is particularly suitable for transporting lighter-weight loads, offering a cost-effective solution without sacrificing stability.
The 3-Runner Odyssey: Tailored for Automated Systems
The 3-Runner Odyssey pallet is a recent addition to the series, specifically engineered to replace European-style wooden pallets commonly used in automated systems. “We designed this to replace the EPAL-3 pallet from Europe, adapting it for the growing number of automated systems in the States,” said Zitzke. By removing the 40” runners and reinforcing the pallet with thicker gauge steel, ORBIS ensures it meets the stringent deflection limits required by automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and other automated solutions.
Zitzke noted that warehouse automation is a driving force behind many of ORBIS’ innovations. The move towards automation demands consistent, high-quality pallets that can provide repeatable performance, withstand the rigors of mechanical handling and ensure seamless operation.
With their durability and design tailored to automated systems, ORBIS’s plastic pallets reduce downtime caused by pallet failures and improve overall efficiency. Features like reinforced steel ensure these pallets are durable and compatible with the latest warehouse technologies. Additionally, permanent molded-in frictional elements minimize load shifting.
The Plastic Pallet Market Landscape: Growth Opportunities and Maturity
So where is the plastic pallet market headed? To be certain, the plastic pallet market is diverse, with segments showing varying maturity levels and potential for growth. Mature segments, such as the automotive and beverage industries, have long recognized the benefits of plastic pallets in terms of attributes such as durability, hygiene, and consistency. These sectors have largely converted to plastic, leveraging the material’s long lifespan and resistance to contamination.
In contrast, the food manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors present significant growth opportunities. “Where we see more unconverted markets are on the food manufacturing side, pharmaceutical, the heavier duty stuff or the lighter weight P3,” Zitzke highlighted. These industries are increasingly driven by sustainability goals and regulatory requirements, opening up new avenues for plastic pallet adoption.
Primary packaging, particularly for lightweight products with short transportation loops, is another area with considerable upside. The cost-effectiveness and sustainability of lightweight plastic pallets like the P3 make them attractive for companies looking to reduce costs and meet environmental targets.
Addressing Sustainability Concerns
Sustainability is a paramount concern for many companies today, and ORBIS is at the forefront of providing reusable packaging for a more sustainable supply chain. It all starts with reuse. For example, the Odyssey pallet travels 400 trips compared to 11 for wood pallets, based on Virginia Tech testing. Additionally, many ORBIS pallets are made of recycled content and are fully recyclable at the end of their useful life.
“All of our products can be made with recycled content,” said Zitzke. “This commitment to using recycled materials helps companies meet their sustainability goals while reducing their environmental footprint. ORBIS’s approach aligns with the growing regulatory pressures and consumer expectations around sustainability.”
One unique aspect of ORBIS’ sustainability efforts is its ability to use customer scrap material. “If you have a brand issue because of single-use plastics, let us try and reuse it,” suggested Zitzke. This supports a circular economy and offers a compelling narrative for companies looking to improve their sustainability credentials.
Injection Molding vs. Structural Foam: Advantages of Modern Manufacturing Techniques
When it comes to manufacturing plastic pallets, injection molding offers distinct advantages over structural foam or foam pallets. “The way we are designing the injection molded high pressure gives us a lot of flexibility to do different things,” Zitzke explained. “It can have steel in one direction or the other direction; it can really be customized for the customer.”
Injection molding provides superior strength and durability, essential for heavy-duty applications and environments requiring high precision, such as automated warehouses. The process allows for incorporating reinforcing materials like steel, enhancing the pallet’s rigidity and load-bearing capacity. This customization ensures that each pallet can be tailored to specific requirements, offering superior versatility.
“We have a lot more flexibility there, which has helped us get our feet into different doors,” Zitzke said of injection molding. “We can say, ‘Hey, we have these options,’ and give customers something special for them.”
Foam pallets remain popular, however, in market segments such as automotive, beverage and other applications. “We have a lot for direct food contact or clean room environments where the one piece design is really important to them,” she said.
Overcoming Barriers to Adoption
Despite the clear advantages, the adoption of plastic pallets does face barriers. One significant obstacle is the initial capital investment. “The biggest initial hurdle is always the capital investment on the front end,” acknowledged Zitzke. ORBIS addresses this by walking customers through the long-term cost benefits and durability of plastic pallets compared to wood.
That value proposition is predicated on an extended product life. The goal is to help companies keep their packaging in use, at its highest utility, for the long term. Ensuring proper handling and care of the pallets is crucial to maximizing it. ORBIS conducts on-site material handler training when customers convert to plastic pallets to ensure a successful launch. Once material handlers experience the benefits of plastic pallets, they understand why they need to be properly handled. Zitzke noted that they have never had to return for repeat training.
Informed handling helps minimize damage and ensures that the pallets are used correctly. “The only reason for them to reach the end of their life is usually a human,” she quipped.
“We’ve been able to overcome challenges by being on site with customers, ensuring they understand how to use and care for the pallets properly,” Zitzke concluded. “This approach not only ensures efficiency but also extends the lifespan of our products, ensuring that they are a worthwhile investment.”
To further support customers, ORBIS offers the Reusable Packaging Management (RPM) service, which helps manage the logistics of reusable pallets. This service ensures that pallets are tracked, maintained, and returned efficiently, addressing concerns around loss and damage. The RPM service is critical to ORBIS’s value proposition, providing peace of mind and enhancing the overall ROI for customers investing in plastic pallets.
ORBIS Corporation’s innovative pallet designs, commitment to sustainability, and comprehensive support services continue to transform the logistics and warehousing landscape. The Odyssey, P3, Low Profile Odyssey, and 3-Runner Odyssey pallets offer unique advantages for different applications, from lightweight packaging to automated systems. By addressing sustainability concerns and providing robust training and management services, ORBIS is meeting the industry’s current demands and setting the stage for future advancements.
Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
