As Tools of the Logistics Trade Pallets Must Be Made to Last
When trying to characterise a pallet, many would say they are a necessary evil but an important part of supply chain equipment. One thing everyone would accept is that pallets are one amongst a wide range of logistical tools used for the storage and provision of goods throughout the country and overseas. These days industry can’t afford to not use them.
Like all tools, however, they are available at many levels of quality and price and depending on the frequency of use and the environmental circumstances in which they are used will determine their life expectancy and whether they are fit for purpose or not.
Too often cheap, low specification pallets are quickly rendered unserviceable due to not meeting the standards that reflect the industrial circumstances in which they are used. Money can be wasted and trouble can follow if price is the only criteria used to determine suitability.
If pallets, for example, are only going to be racked with a light load and infrequently used, then arguably a lower specification and cost would suffice. Problems arise, however, if the pallet is required to be used 24/7, all year round, and expected to perform effectively year after year. It therefore follows that the pallets specification would need to be much higher than cheap alternative models that are infrequently used.
It is self-evident that when buying anything, many key variables are analysed before making the decision .Take shoes for example: the first thing we consider is where they are going to be used. Are they for dancing; running; working on the farm or down the mines. Will I be climbing mountains or going on a marathon run or for going to the office every day. The shoe must fit the application for which they are needed and a life expectancy needs to be considered when making the decision; otherwise it won’t be long before you will be buying replacements.
Tools likewise must be looked at in the same way and a short term expectation of the length of time they are expected to perform will be counterproductive and more costly over time.
Pallets get a rough time in industry, particularly if they are regularly being impacted by forklift tynes which results in the need to continuously be repaired and maintained resulting in additional costs and inefficiencies.
While nothing is incapable of being destroyed, we should expect a pallet to be able to take a reasonable amount of rough treatment while at the same time giving many years of good service.
Plastic pallet design and Technology has now reached the stage where a specialist company can provide a pallet that is able to withstand extreme environmental and operational conditions while at the same time providing a long service life which in turn mitigates many of the issues traditionally associated with cheap timber and low cost plastic options.
By using the correct resin formulations and patented technology Ozkor Pty Ltd is currently in a position to provide plastic pallets at a standard which far exceeds industries experiences to date. Pallet models that can be used in both selective beam and drive-in- racking in temperature ranges from -30ºC to 50ºC while being able to also absorb high levels of impact from forklifts.
Pallets which are made to last and justify their investment are needed to achieve the highest level of quality in the most demanding conditions which turns them in to tools which can be trusted to meet the necessary demands modern industry expects.