Your source for the largest selection of plastic pallets on the west coast. Specializing in PLASTIC EXPORT PALLETS

1. What are the benefits of plastic pallets?

• The lifespan of plastic pallets is far longer than that of any wood pallet
• Plastic Pallets are uniform in dimensions, weight, and construction
• Plastic Pallets are hygienic and safer to use in sterilized environments as they are resistant to moisture, fungus, and mold.
• Plastic Pallets do not have splinters, nails, or fasteners which can damage loads or cause injuries.
• Plastic Pallets do not have to be heat treated to pass Customs inspections. Plastic pallets are fully excluded from ISPM 15 requirements

2. What are plastic pallets?
Plastic Pallets are material handling platforms made from plastic. Any pallet made of plastic is considered a “plastic pallet”, however, there are many different types and sizes made for various industries that make the choice selection vast.

Some are made with plastic extrusion boards and screws, while others are made through thermo-forming and rotational molding, but the highest quality plastic pallets are injection molded.

The most common pallets are one-way shipping export pallets and heavy-duty captive use pallets. One-way shipping export pallets are normally lightweight, inexpensive, plastic pallets that are primarily used for one-way transit. Once at the end destination, the pallet is usually discarded or recycled, but in many cases, they are re-used, if the pallet is still in good condition.

These pallets generally cost between $15 – $23 each, depending on the size and weigh between 12lbs and 25lbs each.

Heavy duty captive warehouse pallets are mainly used for long term closed loop applications, where the pallets will rarely leave the facility. They have several base options for various storage methods, can have a vented deck or solid deck, be embedded with steel bars for additional strength, can be made freezer proof and fireproof, and can also be customized with color choices and logo silk-screening.

These pallets are generally made to go through 100 – 300 rotations before needing replacement, therefore, the construction is heavier duty, and cost considerably higher than one-way shipping export pallets. These pallets start in the $50 each range and go up to as high as $125 each and weigh between 40 lbs – 75 lbs.

Yes. In fact, use of plastic pallets is a strict requirement in most sterilized food/beverage, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics production environments.

This is due to plastic pallets being non-porous and resistant to moisture, insects, fungi, acids, fats, solvents, and odor.

As an inorganic, impermeable material, plastic does not absorb liquid, nor does it offer a hospitable environment where bacteria or other living things can grow.

Plastic pallets can be thoroughly washed between uses, making them relatively easy to maintain throughout its lifespan.

Plastic pallets have many advantages over wooden pallets.

1. Better Hygiene

They are more hygienic and easier to clean, which is essential in the pharmaceutical, food, and beverage industries. They do not absorb liquids and do not need to be heat treated to meet ISPM 15 requirements. Many are made with virgin or recycled HDPE or PP resin, making them the cleanest material handling platform available today.

2. More Uniform

They are more uniform in size, construction, and weight, work better in automated processes than a wood pallet, and are easier to transport and handle.

3. More Resistant to Damage

Plastic pallets are more robust and resistant to damage from handling and pests, which increases their longevity and reduces the need for replacement. They last much longer than wooden pallets and do not shed splinters or nails, resulting in cleaner and safer working environments, and less damage to the loads.

4. More Sustainable

Pooled plastic pallets can be a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to wooden pallets, mostly because they can perform far more rotations over their service life without the need for frequent repairs.

100% of the material used to manufacture the pallets can be recycled again and made into new pallets, reducing waste and pollution that wood pallets would otherwise cause.

Advances in plastic pallet design, such as the development of nestable pallets, means more empty pallets can be stacked whilst being transported, resulting in lower transport emissions. For example, you can usually next 75 pallets in one 96” high stack versus about 14 pallets to a stack with traditional wood pallets.

Overall, plastic pallets are a superior choice for many applications in the supply chain, and their use is growing rapidly worldwide. Companies are starting to recognize the benefits of plastic pallets and are increasingly adopting them in their operations. The shift towards plastic pallets is a positive development for logistics and manufacturing sectors, and will help to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

The highest quality plastic pallets are manufactured in a high pressure injection molding process using high-density virgin polyethylene (HDPE) or virgin Polypropylene (PP) plastic resin. This process creates the strongest, longest lasting plastic pallets.

Another form of manufacturing is Thermoforming, which is similar to a ‘jello’ mold or ice cube tray, where the plastic is poured into a mold and allowed to dry. This process often creates air bubbles and has limited loading capacities but is the least expensive option.

Another process is rotational molding. This process yields high quality pallets, but the process to make them is much longer, making the manufacturing process cost prohibitive for large quantities.

HDPE offers improved impact and corrosion resistance and adds extra strength. PP is a more rigid material and as a result, holds heavier loads.

Although traditional virgin materials are used to create the highest quality plastic pallets, these pallets are usually required in a pharmaceutical, food, or clean room manufacturing environment, and therefore, can cost more than pallets made from recycled materials.

Recycled virgin HDPE or PP would be the highest quality option, but there are various other plastics and additives that can be added to the manufacturing process to make plastic pallets freezer resistant, fire resistant, and electrostatic resistant, which will cover a wider range of industries.

Due to the engineering involved in producing injection molded plastic pallets, and the uniform results of the final products construction, plastic pallets have a much better record than wood pallets in most supply chains and manufacturing environments.

Plastic pallets are fully impermeable to water, impervious to insects, easily cleanable, and do not have nails, splinters, and other attachments that may cause injury when handling.

Heavy duty plastic pallets can easily accommodate a static capacities of over 10,000lbs, dynamic capacities up to 4000lbs, and racking capacities up to 3300lbs. Steel bar options maximize load capacities as well.

Plastic pallet can be made to be freezer resistant, fire resistant, as well as for hygienic used in a pharmaceutical, food, and other clean room environments.

Plastic pallets are made to be used in virtually every environment and beating wood pallets in almost every category.

Plastic pallets are especially popular within pharmaceutical and food supply chains because they are completely washable to maintain a clean, sterile platform, and are able to eliminate the risk of contamination.

However, more mainstream companies are slowly coming aboard, knowing the benefits of plastic pallets over wood pallets. Unfortunately, cost is the major dividing factor with most companies. While investing in plastic pallets will yield a positive ROI within a few years, the initial cost is much more than that of wood pallets. But companies are beginning to realize that although the initial upfront costs are substantial, there would be considerable cost savings over the long term, as plastic pallet generally last up to 100x longer than wood pallets.

Plastic Pallet fall into 2 categories. The first are light weight pallets used for one-way shipping/export purposes, where the shipper will likely never see the pallet again. These pallets are generally between $15 – $25 each, depending on the size and weight capacities.

The second category are heavy duty pallets made for closed loop applications, where the pallets will stay in house and used for a prolonged period. These pallets generally start at $50 each, can go as high as $250 each, again, depending on size and weight capacities.