Plastic pallets vs. wooden pallets

Pallets are the key to worldwide logistics in almost every industry, but choosing the right pallet for your product is important. While wooden pallets are the most common, making up over 90% of pallets worldwide, there are definite instances where plastic pallets are needed. Here’s how to choose between the two, and the advantages of both:

Pros of wooden pallets

Wooden pallets are cheaper than plastic, and can be re-used and repaired by using pieces of other wooden pallets. This makes them both easier to replace, and more environmentally friendly than plastic options.

When choosing wooden pallets, you have the option between new and used pallets. New wooden pallets have a capacity of around 1,800 kg. However, if you prefer to use reclaimed pallets, the choices range from lightweight pallets with a capacity of 500kg, right through to premium composite pallets blending new and used wood with a capacity of 1,600 kg.

For heavy loads it’s important to note wood creates friction which can prevent slippage.

Pros of plastic pallets

Plastic pallets are more resistant to chemicals and are lighter and safer to handle with fewer nails, splinters and chipping than their wooden counterparts. They can be more easily cleaned and sanitised, making them ideal for the transportation of food and bio material.

Plastic pallets also don’t need to be treated against bugs, meaning delivery isn’t interrupted due to timber pallet regulations in different ports.

Most good companies will ensure their plastic pallets are 100% recyclable, enabling them to be ground up and made into a new pallet, although this process takes a lot of energy to complete.

Cons of wooden pallets

Wooden pallets are more difficult to clean, as when they become wet, they encourage bacterial and fungal growth. If you’re shipping goods internationally on wooden pallets, you may be required to treat the wood to prevent the growth of microbes, which adds cost.

Your logistics team are more likely to experience splinters and cuts from protruding nails on wooden pallets. Plus, the pallets themselves can warp and shrink due to the properties of the wood used. Once a pallet is warped, you need to re-order and replace them, which adds more cost too.

Generally, wooden pallets weigh anywhere from 13 to 30 kg, making them much heavier for air freighted goods. However, great logistics brands offer lighter alternatives with a capacity of 500kgs.

Cons of plastic pallets

Plastic pallets are more difficult to repair than wooden versions, as the entire pallet needs to be melted down and remodelled if there’s a structural breach. They’re also non-biodegradable, and when added to the environmental cost of melting and remodelling, they’re not very environmentally friendly.

Most important for businesses is the added cost of plastic pallets. They’re much more expensive than wooden pallets. If they are well looked after and stacked well though, one plastic pallet can usually serve around 250 trips vs. around 6 trips for one single wooden pallet (without any re-construction)

Overall, there is a time and place for both wooden and plastic pallets depending on the goods you’re freighting, the method of freight, cost restrictions, and any biosecurity regulations between trips.