Part 4 – Plastic Pallet Design 

Plastic Pallet Design

Welcome back! This is Part 4 of “Why All Plastic Pallets Are Not Created Equal”, where we walk you through the ins and outs of plastic pallets, and arm you with the information you need before you make your next pallet purchase!

Nestable and Stackable Plastic Pallets

Most online sites will categorize pallets into “nestable” and “stackable” categories. Nestable means that pallets nest inside one another to make stacking more efficient. Stackable means that the pallet has a solid platform on the bottom which allows pallets to double stack with product and other pallets.

Nestable Pallets for Distribution

Nestable pallets are very efficient in distribution operations where the goal is to get as many empty pallets on a truck as possible. In some instances we can fit up to 2000 pallets on a backhaul truck, greatly reducing return freight costs.

Space saving benefits are also worth noting. Nestable plastic pallets can save up to 4 times the floor space over stackable plastic pallets and wood pallets.

Stackable Pallets for Racking

Stackable pallets are usually required for racking and double stacking applications. Each stackable pallet has a footprint like a traditional wood pallet.

If the storage requirements call for high stacking in warehouses or racking in different rack configurations, a stackable pallet is used. Stackable pallets are used in most conveying and palletizing applications as well.

Price Difference

It is important to keep in mind that nestable and stackable options differ greatly in price. The processes that produce nestable pallets are much cheaper than those that produce stackable pallets. As a result, the cost of a nestable pallet is usually 50% - 80% less than the cost of a stackable pallet.

Other Important Design Considerations

The above two categories are very broad. There are many other design traits to plastic pallets that factor into specific user applications. Other design considerations include deck designs for sanitation and load securement, runner designs for forklifts, pallet jacks and walkies, and dimensional lengths, widths and heights.

For example, sometimes height becomes a critical dimension when the application needs to fit inside a truck. Next time you place an order with us, we’ll be happy to walk you through these more specific factors and get you exactly what your application demands.

Go to Part 5 in this series. Learn about Pallet Manufacturing Processes and find out which process best suits your needs!

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