FAQ - All about pallets

If I have products that are heavy. Do I have to use timber?

No. Some Plastic Pallets have Static Load Bearing up to 10 tonne! Always check pallet specifications for Dynamic and Static Weights. The Dynamic weight load is the weight limit you can lift and move a pallet around from warehouse to transport. The Static weight load is the weight limit the pallet can withstand without moving. An example of the importance of Static weight might be double loading in containers. The bottom pallet will need to have enough Static weight load for its own weight and for the added weight of the pallet on top of it. When the container is unloaded again each pallet will be moved separately and the Dynamic Weight will be key once more.

What pallets are suitable for double stacking in containers?

Making the right pallet choice for double stacking depends also upon the product you are sending and how you have packed it. If you send product in very strong cartons then you will have a wider choice of pallet selection for this purpose. If you are sending bulka bags with grain, or similarly moving content, then you may have to ensure that the pallet you choose is able to separate the bottom product from the top to allow clear easy access by the forklift tynes when unloading.

What are the main differences between wood and plastic pallets?

Timber, or wood pallets are still used extensively. Pallet selection always comes down to application. The basic physical difference between timber and plastic is that timber, being organic, can harbour pests, absorb moisture and splinter. Plastic is impervious to these things and is therefore preferred for export applications. Warehouses that use racking and do not place high importance on cleanliness, or need to be concerned about pests or moisture will usually opt for Australian Standard Timber Rackable Pallets. However, Australian Standard Plastic Rackable Pallets are becoming more popular despite their higher cost initially. There are growing numbers of applications preferring plastic, especially as recycling methods become more and more available making plastic more sought after.

What factors should I consider when buying pallets?

There are a number of factors to be considered when choosing a pallet for your application and if a check list can be created early on then many otherwise hidden savings are possible.

Some considerations apply to all applications:

What is being Loaded?
Can my product be evenly disbursed across a pallet, or is most of the weight pushing against one or two spots on the pallet?
How is my product being packed?
What size footprint is required of the pallet, allowing for space on all sides?
How much weight is being Loaded?
How is my product being transported? Air, Sea or Road?
Is my product being exported?
Which country is my product being exported to?
How will I store my pallets before I use them?
Will I be using a pallet jack?

There are more questions to ask, but these key questions about content, weight and footprint (size) are the basic questions that are always considered for pallet selection.

Can I use timber pallets to transport food?

Timber pallets are used to transport food domestically and still internationally. However, regulations for this industry have changed substantially when considering export and possibly domestic use. Always check with your Freight Forwarder or the Customs agency of the country you are dispatching to before sending a timber pallet. And even if that country accepts timber pallets for food imports, it is always prudent to do a risk assessment on pallet use for international exports in case some trans-shipping causes your pallet to dock somewhere else enroute, which may be a country that doesn't accept timber pallets. Taking a little extra time on pallet selection, especially for the food and chemical industries, can save a substantial amount of money and pain long term. A good pallet supplier will be aware of these things but they can't advise you on these regulatory export decisions. Although most timber pallets are ISPM approved these days this does not mean that no other chemical has been applied, or can be applied, to timber pallets. The use of Plastic Pallets negates the need for this risk since nothing can live in plastic. Plastic Pallets used for Food often provide financial incentives through greater efficiencies even though the cost per pallet is most likely higher.

Do you custom-design pallets?

Customers of IB Pals and IB Pallets do have this service at their disposal. You can contact us with this enquiry. Consider that a large quantity of pallets will be required to justify the creation of a special mould if needed. Or, with a range much larger than most, the pallet of your dreams may already be available through us.

Do you offer eco-friendly pallet solutions?

Yes. IB Pals, IB Pallets and Brisbane Pallet Recyclers have worked for many years to ensure the best possible available recycling process for both timber and plastic pallets.

Is there a better time of year to buy pallets?

This is an interesting question. If you are buying recycled timber pallets, or used plastic pallets then there are times in the year when more are available in the marketplace, which usually means you save money. For new plastic pallets times are dependent upon manufacturing schedules or import shipping costs and currencies monitoring, whether for raw materials or the finished product.

What sets a pallet provider apart from others?

Did you know that there are over 600 different types of plastic pallets available? Did you know that not all plastic pallets use the same kind of plastic? And that this can affect how your product travels, and how recyclable the pallet becomes once you are finished with it? Waste disposal can be expensive. Recycling can cost nothing. Lots of different companies can sell pallets, even second hand markets and your local dump. But pallets serve one of the most important functions for your product, that is keeping them safe. So dealing with a company in the business of knowing pallets is always a money saver in the long run!

What are the common pallet sizes?

The most common pallet sizes are:

1200mm x 1000mm (or ever so slightly larger in the USA based on the nearest Imperial measurements)
1100mm x 1100mm
1200mm x 800mm - the Euro Pallet
and specifically for Australia the Australian Standard Pallet 1165mm x 1165mm +/- 5mm

What is ISPM 15 and why is it important?

ISPM 15 refers to the 'heat treating' process performed on timber pallets to enable them to travel from country to country. However, there are a number of caveats to this regulation as more countries are preferring and some demanding plastic for all imports.

What are block pallets?

Block pallets are constructed with blocks of timber or pressed fibre on the corners, joining the top of the pallet to the bottom of the pallet. These blocks are normally made of timber, or they can be made from pressed fibre. Block pallets are often used as transport pallets domestically. They are not made for racking.

How long do pallets typically last?

No pallet, timber or plastic, can survive an attack from a forklift. Forklifts often range from one tonne to ten tonne. Forklifts are weight bearing at the back in order to be able to counter balance heavy loads on pallets at the front. So there is always many tonne more weight to the forklift than there is to the pallet. It therefore stands to reason that if you hit a pallet with a forklift you can damage the pallet. Forklifts are high risk machines. For this reason pallet manufacturers do their best to ensure that forklift operators are able to pick up pallets without damaging them by hitting the wrong spot on the pallet. There are many ways this is done to cater across many types of pallets and many different applications, especially when it comes to plastic pallets.

That being said, as long as a forklift is used properly on a pallet the lifespan of the pallet can be extensive for reuse. Plastic as a material outlasts timber. Forklifts aren't the only thing that can end a pallet's life. Using the wrong pallet for the application can cause the pallet to break, especially if it is over-loaded or misused. Pallets are built for purpose. They are built for goods to be put on top of them. There are points on all pallets that act as important weight bearing constructions. A good pallet dealer will be able to discuss all of this with you so that you can choose the best pallet for your application, and if you are able to re-use this pallet over and over then some will work better than others so you can take advantage of this and reduce costs substantially by choosing the correct pallet.

What is a Pallet Jack and how does it work?

When you buy a pallet you will be privy to the specification of that pallet. This may say 2-way pallet jack, or 4-way pallet jack, or not pallet jackable. What does this mean? Most pallets are moved with forklifts. However, a pallet jack provides a manual handling option. It is basically tynes on wheels you can steer much like the front of a scooter. The tynes go into the entry points in the pallet, the same as the forklift tynes would. You manually pump the steer to lift the pallet, and off you go wheeling your pallet around the warehouse where you want it. Pallet jacks can be very useful inside warehouses, especially where forklifts cannot go. Maybe your products are light weight and you manually pick and restock your shelves from palletised stock. Maybe you want to manually move a pallet of goods into a small cold room. There are many applications for using a Pallet Jack. If it says 2-way Pallet Jack, this means that there are two entry points for you to put the Pallet Jack tynes into the pallet to be able to lift to enable the wheels to move freely. If it says 4-way Pallet Jack then you have the ability to move from any side of the pallet. Sometimes pallets may be placed in certain ways by forklift operators and then taken from the other side by manual Pallet Jacks to keep the traffic in the warehouse moving logically.

How do I know if a pallet is safe to use?

For timber pallets check there are no loose nails that may cause the slats to drop or lift, or destroy the pallet. This is especially important when storing at heights on racking. The same check should be made for loading on trucks. There are very expensive penalties for loading trucks without proper packing and loading. Timber pallets can have splinters. Given the treatments or materials that may be absorbed into the timber this can cause minor scratches or something more serious. And this check may also be important to avoid contamination of your products. Nails generally pose problem areas and need to be checked for timber pallet use. Not all timber is the same. Timber pallets are also made from different grades and thicknesses of timber, which affect the specified SWL Safe Weight Load for Dynamic and Static loads.

For Plastic Pallets the same Safe Weight Load checks are important. Plastic Pallets do not have to be checked for absorption of dangerous chemicals or bacteria or fungi or nails. However, there are many kinds of plastic pallets and care should be taken to select the right one for your product, and ensure it is secured as you would a timber pallet.