How to save money on pallets
Pallet costs are an expected and quite necessary expense in any industry that has use for them. However, if you are not careful, pallet costs will start to eat into the profit margin, especially in the long run. It’s possible that you are already spending more money on them than you should need to, without even realising that to be the fact. As we discuss a few practical steps to decrease pallet expenses, see if you are perhaps missing out on a trick or two.
Durability is the key term
Pallet expenses tend to add up because businesses need to replace them so often. They need to replace them so often because they tend to choose the cheapest options available to them. This decision comes from the mindset that they should not waste more money on something that they will need to replace in a short while anyway. As we can see a pattern here, this is self-defeating cycle that is easy to fall into and hard to step out of!
Instead of investing in cheaper plastic/wood pallets, invest in high quality metal pallets instead. They last longer than any other material that’s used to manufacture pallets, and that durability more than makes up for the initial expense. The only thing is that you will need to be choosy about the material used in the metal pallets. Since there are several different uses for metal pallets, you will need to match the intended use with the alloy.
Match your pallet’s metal with its intended use
Stainless steel is the strongest and most durable option you have in metal pallets, but they are far too heavy to have versatile use. However, when you need heavy duty metal pallets, always go with stainless steel over carbon steel, although the latter is much cheaper. On the other hand, aluminium should be your choice of metal if the pallets need to be lightweight and sturdy at the same time. Just make sure that the priority of the cargo matches the main advantage of the metal used to construct the pallet.
Buy at wholesale rates
If you must use wood or plastic pallets, make sure that you buy quality products, even if they cost more. This is not just a matter of saving money, but poor-quality pallets often result in tragic accidents, leading to loss of life and property. Just buy your pallets at a wholesale rate to get a better price on them. The same applies to metal pallets as well. Although you will not need to replace them nearly as often, you should still be able to snatch a discount if you buy them in bulk.
Some pallets can be repaired and reused for a much longer time than most companies realize. Frequent checking, cleaning, and repairing makes your pallets last longer, saves you money, and it makes the workplace safer. In fact, there are mandated pallet safety regulations that every business owner should acquaint themselves with to avoid hefty fines even when there isn’t an accident reported yet.
