Before businesses begin tinkering with state-of-the-art conveyor networks and automated storage and retrieval systems, they might want to reconsider the role of the warehouse’s most underrated asset— the pallet.
Pallet By Joseph O’Reilly
and durable plastic pallets, totes, and slip-sheets are increasingly visible in warehouse applications. “Companies are not always aware of a product’s strategic value –in this case, choosing a polyethylene plastic pallet over a wooden pallet,” says Kim Kensill, vice president of sales for JECO Plastics, Plainfield, Ind., a pallet manufac- turer that specializes in the rotational molding of polyethylene pallets and containers. “They’re used to buy- ing wooden pallets for $5, $10, or $15. Plastic pallets can cost as much as $100 and companies balk because they don’t understand the value proposition.”
to prevent further beetle infestation. Many international shippers have switched to plastic conveyances to off- set these concerns. “Wood pallets are a problem in global transportation, so more com- posite products or cheap plastic pallets are being used. These do not work well in racks because they do not usu- ally have bottom stringers and their strength can be questionable,” says Geoffrey Sisko, senior vice president,
Gross & Associates, a consultancy based in Woodbridge, N.J. Wooden pallets also tend to have nails pull apart or shards of wood splin- ter over time. With constant use, these problems threaten productivity in increasingly automated warehouses. On the other hand, plastics mold- ing technology has evolved to a point where pallet manufacturers can pro- duce tailored products to meet unique user needs. As a result, innovative
July 2007 • Inbound Logistics 125
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