Technical Guidance

Wooden pallets vs. Plastic pallets: Comparative analysis

Let us show you the main differences between wooden and plastic pallets, so you can choose the option that best suits your business.

The main differential element of our plastic pallets is that they are manufactured using recycled materials (except for extremely specific cases due to applicable legislation, such as hygienic pallets). This means that our plastic pallets are the ideal appliance for giving a new life to a large part of the plastic waste generated in our consumer society and the industry’s value chain.

However, wooden pallets are produced from natural resources such as trees, which form part of our environment and nature, therefore the life cycle starts with deforestation and the extraction process of our planet’s resources. Similarly, the life cycle of our plastic pallets starts with a solution to a global issue, transforming pre-existing plastic waste from other applications, into a new resource that gives multiple advantages to any logistics chain.

Precisely, the great challenge of the 21st century is finding uses to close the chain of our waste, and in this respect, plastic pallets are a major ally.

Our plastic pallets are products made from other waste, and no new waste is generated during the manufacturing process. At the end of a longer life cycle to that of wooden equivalents, our pallets are recycled to produce a new pallet with identical properties to the original, closing the paradigm of “ZERO WASTE”.

WOODEN PALLETS PLASTIC PALLETS
Weight Usually heavy and difficult to handle manually. Usually lighter than their wood equivalent.
Stability In contact with water and / or moisture they vary in size and weight. Dimensionally stable in any environment or situation.
Hygiene Inside can nest parasites and infections. Plastic is waterproof and cannot be penetrated.
Cleanliness It is not advisable to wet them and they are difficult to clean and / or repair. Ideal for cleaning using water and / or any cleaning product.
Life cycle With the use, its life cycle is longer. The plastic pallet is stable until the end of its useful life. Being more resistant its life cycle is greater.
Maintenance As they age and without adequate maintenance they have chips, displaced boards, protruding nails, and other elements that cause maintenance not only of the pallet but also of the facilities in which they are used. The plastic pallet does not require maintenance (except washing if deemed appropriate) of the product and does not deteriorate or foul the facilities in which they are used. In the case of repairable models, repair is very simple and does not require specific machinery or specialized personnel.
Rejection Deteriorated wooden pallets cause annoying rejections on production lines. Due to the fact that they are more resistant and keep their dimensions and shapes unchanged over time rejections at the production lines are reduced.
Treatments Sometimes chemical treatments are used in word to avoid the nesting of fungi and parasites inside. No specific treatment is required.
Exports For certain exports, it is necessary to document their processing (ISPM 15) and to manage such documentation. No documentation or treatment is required.
Traceability - Specific areas for product traceability, RFID chips, barcodes, etc.
Recycling In certain cases, its elimination carries a cost for the owner. 100% recyclable. Plastic pallets have a high residual value allowing the owner to recover part of his investment at the end of the life cycle.
Environment Their production implies cutting of trees. Use of recycled and recyclable materials from other plastic waste being a key element in the plastic recycling chain.
Printing Wooden pallets produce a warehouse feeling at the point of sale. Improve the visual impact of the store. Improve the visual aspect of the store and are barely noticed .
CO2 - Its lower weight reduces the consumption of fossil fuels during its transport as well as a lower emission of CO2 emissions
Residual value At the end of their useful life they do not have any value for the owner and sometimes their elimination is a cost. The owner recovers part of his investment thanks to the residual value of the raw material. This value increases in case of reuse for new plastic pallets.
Risks Risk of work accidents by splinters during manual manipulations. Ergonomic and easy to handle.