More Manufacturers Moving to Plasitc Pallets

Packaging manufacturer trades splinters for stability, switches to plastic pallets

Plastic pallets cut costs, increase reliability for customer, writes Josh Bond, Contributing Editor of 'Modern Materials Handling.'

Automation demands consistent materials handling equipment, a characteristic not often associated with wood pallets. By introducing plastic pallets, one packaging company improved productivity, maximized trailer space, and made life easier for customers and employees.

Huhtamaki, one of the world’s leading packaging companies, produces high-quality plastic food packaging in 13 manufacturing plants throughout North and South America. At its New Vienna, Ohio, plant, Huhtamaki used wood pallets to ship cartons of cups and lids from its facility to its customer in standard 53-foot trailers. The company and its customers were experiencing wood pallet breakage that was causing downtime in automated systems.

Huhtamaki decided to seek a shipping solution that was more hygenic, easier for employees to handle, and more cost efficient on a per-trip basis. After partnering with a customer, the company collaborated on a reusable plastic pallet program for shipments (www.orbiscorporation.com).

A provider worked with Huhtamaki to analyze the product flow and recommended a stackable 44-inch x 51-inch reusable plastic pallet. The footprint optimized unit loads and maximized space in a standard 53-foot trailer, resulting in more efficient shipments. The stackable design offered the durability and stability required for storage and transportation.

Since implementing reusable plastic pallets, Huhtamaki has eliminated recurring costs associated with wood pallets. It has effectively reduced its pallet cost-per-trip by at least 50%–a figure that will only increase over the service life of the pallet. Other results include less automated system downtime, reduced risk of product damage, reduced waste associated with pallet disposal and repair, and improved product flow.

With dimensional consistency, the new plastic pallet offers repeatable performance for Huhtamaki and its customers.

Ken's Foods Goes Plastic Pallets

ORLANDO, Florida. Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS Company, LLC) reveals that Ken’s Foods will begin shipping its retail products throughout the U.S. on iGPS’ all-plastic pallets with embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, commencing in early 2011.

Ken’s Foods produces and packages over 400 varieties of dressings and sauces, including Ken’s Steakhouse Salad Dressings.

“Our decision to switch to iGPS was based on our desire to upgrade the quality of pallet carrying our products and to utilize a more environmentally sustainable solution than wood,” said Bob Merchant, Chief Operating Officer of Ken’s Foods, Inc. “iGPS’ solution fulfills both our objectives, and we know that our retail partners will appreciate this value enhancement to our supply chain.”

“We are delighted to welcome Ken’s Foods to the iGPS family,” says Bob Moore, Chairman and CEO of iGPS. “We are great fans of Ken’s products and are especially pleased that they will now ship on our pallet.”

In just three years of operation, iGPS has revolutionized the way goods are being shipped throughout the North American supply chain. Its 100 percent recyclable pallets are 30 percent lighter than pallets made of wood and are vastly better for the environment. Unlike wood pallets, iGPS pallets do not absorb fluids that can cross-contaminate food, and because they cannot harbor wood-boring insects, iGPS pallets never require treatment with toxic pesticides. Thanks to embedded RFID tags, shippers and receivers can track shipments throughout the supply chain.

Upgrade to an electric pallet jack

Pallet Jacks? -Go Electric!

There are many reasons in which you’d want to consider purchasing an electric pallet jack for your warehouse. In certain environments it is not very practical for you to use manual hand held pallet jack trucks. For example, if you work in the shipping industry you will need to buy a very large pallet jack trucks and forklifts in order to unload containers from the freight carrier ships.

Because in today’s economic climate it may not make a lot of sense for you to consider the acquisition of a new electric pallet jack. One of the best ways to acquire material equipment which you need for your warehouse operation is to consider the purchase of used or electric pallet jack trucks which have been refurbished. Electric pallet jack trucks which have been refurbished by the manufacturer have sometimes come up with their own names such as “official certified used pallet jack trucks”. One of the best parts about having the unit refurbished by the manufacturing firm is the fact that they will go ahead and check out each individual part. If certain parts on the electric pallet jack truck need to be replaced, they will go ahead and place them before they sell the unit to the next owner. Another great benefit of doing things this way is that a lot of times they will also give you the same warranty which is equivalent to buying a new electric pallet truck. This can save you a lot of money as you will not have to purchase pallet jack parts.
HX10 Series 21.25" x 45" Electric High-Lift Pallet Jack
Overall Rating:

If your going to buy an electric pallet truck, there are many different brands which you can look at. Some of the more well-known brands of pallet jack trucks include Mitsubishi, Clark, Yale, and Toyota material handling USA. Most things you need to look for when you are buying pallet jack truck is not only the price of the actual unit but how much it will cost to maintain the unit as well. Various units will have different costs when it comes to the cost of replacement parts such as hydraulic oil filter.

Craemer’s new plastic pallets readily accepted

Plastic pallets are an integral part of many food and drink logistic chains. Since the launch of the new Craemer TC – Totally Closed deck plastic pallets and lightweight ‘D’ range, the products have created great interest in the market place followed by successful sales.
The TC’ – Totally Closed deck plastic pallet has been specifically designed for hygienic applications and also to over come the inherent problems associated with many competitor type products.
Many previous closed deck pallets available prior to the launch of the Craemer TC were flawed in design, with “seam” integrity being suspect and prone to being easily damaged or fractured. This allows water and other by-products to ingress into the housing and become potential traps for bacteria that could contaminate products in transport. Also, trapped liquid can also increase the tare weight of the pallet and if this becomes frozen, it can expand causing the pallet to crack, weakening the structure further and making the pallet totally unsuitable for use in high hygiene areas.
Totally closed deck pallets are often used in food processing areas, where chilled areas or cold stores are an integral part of the process, so they have to be able to perform consistently in these areas over a sustained period of time. As the cracks open further and the pallet is handled, it is possible that liquids or dirt could escape from the inner of the pallet to contaminate any material that they may come into contact with.
Craemer’s ‘TC’ – totally closed plastic pallets are designed to meet the highest hygiene demands, offering strength and impact resistance due primarily to its material content and unique patented welding process, sealing the lower deck and rim areas to prevent ingress of contaminants such as liquid and bacteria into the pallet structure. The flat, smooth outer surfaces can be easily cleaned. Craemer has invested in technology that can measure and analyse the condition of the weld and have subjected the TC pallet to a large number of in-house and independent tests, both in the tool design stage and also on the finished product, to back up performance statistics. A pressure test is also incorporated into the process to ensure that the pallets are all effectively air and water tight with no possibility of liquid ingress.
The ‘D’ range of lightweight plastic pallets weighing in at only 15kg makes it easy for safe manual handling – particularly where products are being hand palletised at the end of a line, and can also contribute to significant cost savings in transport.
The low cost entry level version provides exceptional quality at an exceptional one off price of only £26.00. The wide variety of upgradeable configuration options enables the ‘D’ pallets to be transformed into bespoke products that can be integrated into various types of handling applications or integrated into storage systems that require high loading capacities.
Both pallets are available with 3 or 5 runners and feature a 7mm upper deck rim, with a wide variety of upgradeable configuration options that enable pallets to be transformed into a bespoke, highly rated load carrier with RFID tracking.
Craemer are so confident in the quality and reliability of the new pallets, it is prepared to supply sample ‘TC’ and ‘D’pallets for demonstration and evaluation handling the customers own products.
Craemer UK Ltd Steve Penney Tel: 01952 607800 email: Click here to email this company www.craemer.com

Plastic Pallets – The Future of Shipping Materials

Plastic Pallets – Shipping's Ace

The future of shipping materials is changing, but don’t worry bubble wrap isn’t going anywhere.
What I am writing about is a change in the shipping industry choice of materials. In the United States the majority of goods are transported on semi-trucks through the vast interstate system. Goods that end up in stores are packed on pallets which have been designed to work in this trucking system.
The system is effective and it works well, goods are transported and pallets which can easily be loaded or unloaded with the proper equipment.
At least that’s how it used to be but now the system is changing because of the materials used in pallets – wood.
The end of wood pallets and the beginning of plastic pallets
The era of wood pallets is winding down, mostly because of environmental concerns. Wood pallets represent a large portion of the timber being consumed today, which has very serious impacts on the environment.
The lumber industry still uses outdated methods of rapid deforestation to harvest the wood needed for pallets. Also because the consumption rate of timber was larger than the replenishing rate of the forests, the price of wood began to rise. It was these factors which combined to create an industry ready for The end of wood pallets and the beginning of plastic pallets.
The Positives of Plastic Pallets
Once the first plastic pallets were introduced to the industry their added benefits became obvious. Plastic unlike wood will not retain the odors of the materials being shipped. This makes plastic pallets ideal for food or other aromatic goods, because they can be used with any different types of materials without odor stains.
Plastic pallets are also easier to clean because they can get wet without the fear of rotting. Plastic pallets also have a longer lifespan than wood, and when they do break or get dropped they can easily be recycled.
The Future of Plastic Pallets
Plastic pallets were designed with the future in mind. Plastic pallets can be easily outfitted with RFID chips, the latest technology in inventory tracking. They can also be scanned with bar codes to comply with current tracking methods. Plastic pallets are also display ready which means that they can be placed straight on the display floor. This saves time and money by skipping the inventory steps.
Plastic pallets are stronger, more environmentally friendly and last longer than wood. If businesses aren’t using plastic pallets then they are losing money.
For more information on plastic pallets visit http://www.polymerlogistics.com

Platic Pallets More Durable says top Agency

The United States manufactures 500 million pallets each year, and 2 billion wood pallets are in use at any time, according to Kent University. Wood pallets, however, are expensive to maintain, so looking for an alternative is financially and environmentally beneficial to the world.

Pallets made from recycled plastic are the most common alternative to wooden pallets. Pallets from this material are more durable during transport and over 10 years have the lowest maintenance cost of any alternative, according to the Environmental Protection Agency

Plastic Pallet and Crate re-cycling

Recycling plays as integral part in sustaining the world and environment which we live in, and the more we are able to re-use goods, the better. This leading equipment management business is an eco-conscious company, dedicated to encouraging the recycling of goods, products and materials wherever possible. They are able to provide essential Returnable Transit Equipment (RTE) and services to all customers requiring such apparatus, enabling people everywhere to not only contribute to a greener environment, but also receive a cost-effective method of transporting their goods. Through recycling plastic pallets, trays, crates and roll cages, you'll be able to enjoy a range of benefits for your business.

Many industries require large quantities of goods to be transported all across the country. Both storing and transporting these products can be a mammoth task, and without the proper equipment to aid within the process, the procedure can be highly time-consuming, and can possibly present a danger to those involved.

Pallets are an excellent method of storing and lifting goods, significantly easing the transportation process for all involved. Plastic pallets are highly advantageous, as they act as a strong and rigid platform for goods to be stored upon. As the presence of water or damp will not compromise this rigidity, they are able to remain strong and reliable despite any moist conditions which they may come into contact with.

The nature of plastic pallets makes them ideal within the food industry, as they can be easily washed and sterilised, to create the most hygienic conditions.

The pallets which they provide come in a variety of sizes, to suit the nature of your business. They are available in standard sizes of 1200 x 1000mm, or 1200 x 800mm. If you require any other dimensions, they are able to supply these on request.

As the plastic pallet service which this company offer is available on a rental basis, you'll be able to gain the advantages of being able to have access to appropriate equipment when you need it, without having to pay more for purchasing such apparatus. This enables them to effectively recycle the pallets, supplying them to a range of companies when required, and eliminating the need for businesses to buy and discard the pallets once they have been used and finished with.

If you would like to know more about this specialist recyclable plastic pallets service, feel free to get in touch with the experts today through their online contact form.

Written on behalf of PPS, suppliers of plastic pallets

Plastic Pallets Center