Managing costs associated with moving products from Point A to Point B is essential to the sustainable profitability of manufacturers and sellers across distribution channels. To increase efficiency when shipping in quantity, a growing business may be well advised to reconsider shipping items on an individual basis, and instead invest into shipping by the pallet.
- Pallets are an integral part of shipping quantities of goods domestically and internationally. Made from wood, metal, or plastic, pallets can help bundle groups of the same item or various items being shipped from one location to the next. Because pallets tend to be standardized in size, shipments by the pallet offer consistent quantities used in placing orders, calculating the cost, and even predicting the amount of space required to ship and warehouse items. Additionally, pallets offer a strong and durable base for items, helping to protect items from damage during shipment. Pallets also offer speed and efficiency, as forklifts and pallet jacks permit the mechanical movement of items much more efficiently than one item at a time by hand.
- In addition to protecting items from the bottom up, a pallet can also keep items up off the ground where moisture and uneven surfaces can damage items. And because the pallet’s wood, plastic, or metal material is stronger than cardboard boxes or plastic packages, it allows heavier items and larger quantities to be shipped safely and efficiently.
- Despite their strength and versatility, pallets are proportionately light and can be carried by one worker. Pallets can be stored in tall stacks, reducing the amount of square footage required in a warehouse or shipping facility. Unlike cardboard boxes, pallets can typically be reused many times, thus saving cost and environmental impact.
- Once a pallet has reached the end of its lifespan, its materials can be melted down and repurposed, in the case of metal and plastic varieties, or taken apart and recycled in the case of wood. Wooden pallets can be sold to be converted into shredded compost material, firewood, and construction material.
The return on investment of pallets and pallet handling equipment may well be worth it to a growing manufacturing or retail distribution business. By better-protecting products from damage, streamlining ordering and cost estimation, standardizing storage requirements, avoiding environmental damage, and speeding the handling of materials, pallets offer a wealth of utility in exchange for a relatively small cost and storage space. Plus, once a pallet’s utility has been exhausted, it is still worth something as scrap to be sold for a second application.