Pallets are widely used in Australia and throughout many countries worldwide. The need to prevent goods from damages during interstate freight transport has brought the urge to rely on palletized deliveries.

What is Pallet?

Typically, a pallet is a flat stable structure that can be made up of many materials including wood, metal, and plastic. The flat structure of the pallet ensures the safe and successful delivery of goods.

In Australia, the costs associated with cargo delivery and transportation of goods have been reduced to a great extent through the introduction of pallet deliveries.

The use of pallets has been made for the following purposes:

  • Storage of goods
  • Safe transportation
  • To meet food safety standards
  • Stacking purposes

Pallets come in different sizes and shapes which indicate that each pallet has been designed for different use. For large and heavy products, more strength is required to hold the product. Though the dimensions of a pallet vary with each country and each location, the most commonly used pallet in Australia is 1165mm x 1165 mm.

Generally, pallets of any size fall into two broad categories: Stringer Pallets and Block Pallets:

Stringer pallets are made up of softwood and are also known as two-way pallets. To form the structure of the pallet, a frame of three or four pieces of timber is used that is parallel and attached to top deck boards.

On the contrary, block pallets are stronger and secure than stringer ones. Made up of hardwood and can use both parallel and perpendicular pieces of timber to form the structure. These pallets are four-way because both forklifts and pallet jacks can move in any direction or side.

Different materials used

Various kinds of materials are used to manufacture the types of pallets. Each material has its own set of merits and demerits.

Wood

It is the most common type of material used to build pallets. Wooden ones can be both softwood stringer or hardwood block pallets. Being strong, flexible, and abundant, wooden pallets are easy to make and use. Most of the time, wooden pallets are good for single-use which is its major drawback. Once the cargo is uploaded, wooden pallets are often sent to be repaired or disposed of.

Metal

For large and heavy cargo, metal-based pallets are often used because of their stellar strength and durability. Stainless steel, carbon steel, and aluminium are the most commonly used metals to create the pallets.

Plastic

Another type is plastic pallet which is used for storing and transporting cargo. Different types of plastic pallets are used which vary in terms of cost and durability. Unlike wooden pallets, plastic pallets do not break and chip, and also the design is easily adapted to various sizes of loading and unloading.

Cardboard and paper

Pallets made up of cardboard and paper are lightweight, recyclable, and inexpensive and are meant to use for lighter loads.

At On Time Freight Management, we use a large variety of pallets to match the needs, handling from lightweight goods to bigger and heavier ones.

If you need interstate pallet transport Sydney to Brisbane, or any other location, get in touch with us. Our team at On Time Freight management offers the best and affordable freight management services. Considering the load size, our professionals will help you with the perfect solution to your supply chain and logistics problem.

Request a free quote today to get more information.