The Pivotal Role of Pallets in Supply Chain

September 5, 2024

Share this article:

A bunch of wooden pallets are stacked on top of each other

Do you find yourself regularly asking questions like "what are pallets & what is a pallet?" While they play a complicated role in manufacturing environments in particular, they're actually quite straightforward. If you want to understand the pivotal role of pallets in the supply chain, both locally and globally, there are a number of important things to keep in mind.

What is a Pallet?

Pallets are used to not only properly store goods and other products while they're in a warehouse or manufacturing environment, but they're also relied on for transportation as well. Think of them as a large, flat platform. You stack as many items on them as you safely can and move them around with pallet jacks, forklifts, and similar types of equipment.

The Role of Pallets in the Supply Chain

In a lot of ways, pallets are the "unsung hero" of the supply chain because they enable both the efficient movement and storage of goods. They standardize the way things are moved around in an environment like a warehouse. They make it easy to understand from a bird's eye view what you're dealing with, how much of it you're dealing with, and what needs to happen moving forward.

Why are Pallets so Important?

Pallets are so important, in large part, because of the efficiency they enable. They allow operators to quickly load and unload goods, making sure that environments up and down the supply chain remain as productive as possible.

They're also essential for safety. Not only do they give you a flat surface to stack goods, they also make them stackable - minimizing risk to both the products and to the people around them.

As mentioned, they're also important for the purposes of standardization. If left to their own devices, every environment would have its own precise way of doing things. The problem when you're shipping is that there is no way for someone receiving an order to really know what they're getting until it's already there. Standardization eliminates that, making logistics consistent from one region to the next.

All this combines into what for many might be the most important benefit of pallets of all: cost-effectiveness. They increase efficiency, thus reducing labor costs. They decrease the space required for certain tasks, thus reducing overhead. All this money can then be funneled back into other areas of the business where it can do the most good.

Different Types of Pallets

Depending on the environment, there may be a number of different pallets that you'll be working with. They're not just a basic "flat surface" like a lot of people think of them - they're really complicated and have unique features designed for specific purposes.

Stringer Pallets. These are constructed with stringers (hence the name), which are like solid or notch beams that have been carefully attached to one another. They're simple in design and straightforward to use - which is why these are the most common types of pallets there are.

A man is loading boxes onto a wooden pallet in a warehouse.

Block Pallets. These are pallets that have blocks of solid wood (or sometimes plastic) at each corner, which helps to support the load being transported. These have greater stability and durability than other types of pallets.

Two-Entry Pallets. Two-entry pallets allow for entry with a forklift (or other piece of equipment) from two sides instead of one. This makes it easier to unload and load trucks, and makes it more efficient to store and move around pallets in particularly busy environments.

Four-Way Entry Pallets. These allow access from all four sides, meaning that you can approach one of these pallets with a forklift and move it from any direction. Especially when you're working in tight spaces, the importance of this cannot be overstated.

Euro Pallet. These are the types of pallets that are commonly used in countries across Europe. They need to become an essential part of your process if you're going to be doing international shipping.

Pallet Materials

Wood

The major benefit of wood as a pallet material is its cost-effectiveness. Wood offers a solid amount of strength for a low cost, and is relatively easy to repair as well.

Plastic

Plastic kicks things up a notch by adding in superior resistance to moisture, chemicals, and even insects. They are appreciably more expensive than their wooden counterparts, however.

Metal

Metal pallets are for situations where you need the best in terms of strength and durability. They're also resistant to fire and moisture and are generally great for any extreme, heavy-duty applications you might have.

Choose a Pallet that Best Fits Your Business Needs

A city made out of plastic pallets stacked on top of each other.

When selecting a pallet, one of the most important things to understand is that you cannot begin with the pallet itself. Wood, plastic, and metal pallets all have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. They're not equally viable for every scenario, nor were they ever intended to be.

Don't start with the pallet and hope it has the features and benefits you need to accomplish your goals. Make a list of exactly what you need a pallet to do and go looking for the option that matches it as closely as possible. As always, our team of specialists is standing by to help walk you through this process and to make sure that things go as smoothly as possible.

Looking for Wood Pallets? Look No Further Than Advance Pallet!

If you'd like to find out more information about what are pallets & what is a pallet, or if you'd just like to speak to someone about your business' own pallet-related needs in a bit more detail, please don't delay - contact the team at Advance Pallet today.