Pallets – recycling and sustainability

The pallet and logistics industry is a major user of softwood: there are probably over 2 billion pallets in circulation worldwide. Many businesses re-use their own pallets until they are no longer serviceable, then dispose of them into landfill, potentially wasting a useful resource.  Whirlowdale are playing their part in supporting the environment through their range of pallet solutions which seek to make best use of all of the resources used in pallet manufacture and distribution.

Whirlowdale sell, lease and buy pallets and will collect unwanted or redundant pallets, recycling or repairing where possible: scrap goes for chipping. In the current climate, environmental concerns as well as cost saving opportunities make reconditioned pallets a natural choice for many businesses, as they tend to be around 50% cheaper than new pallets.

In addition to standard pallet recycling processes, Whirlowdale’s Palogistics^® management system goes a step further by supporting the efficient movement of pallets between users. Distribution centres use Palogistics as a way of easing the supply of good pallets and removal of damaged pallets. All damaged pallets removed from the site will be separated into repairable and scrap pallets, and either put back into the supply chain or recycled/chipped. Every aspect of the Palogistics chain is recorded on their IT systems and reported back to head office on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Plastic Pallets

One of the exciting developments in the pallets industry is the move towards the use of plastic pallets for certain types of business or product. Whirlowdale now supply a range of high quality plastic pallets and sales are increasing as the benefits become apparent.

Concerns about green issues and the sustainability of forestry have also encouraged some users to move away from traditional wooden pallets, to plastic pallets manufactured from recycled materials. Some of the advantages of plastic pallets include consistency of size and strength, smoother finish for ease of handling, improved hygiene and a potential life span of up to ten years.

Whirlowdale is the UK’s leading provider of plastic and wooden pallets and packaging solutions, and has stepped up its already highly successful offering with a new range of plastic pallets, enlarged headquarters premises in Rotherham and an extended network of local service depots across the UK.

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