12 Types of Industrial Plastic Pallets for Supply Chain Management

We design and mold a wide range of industrial plastic pallets for a range of supply chain management processes. I know this may seem overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the plastic pallet business.

My intention for writing this blog is to help you know the various types of plastic pallets available in the market. I am going to explore all possible classification criteria – from design, application, structure, manufacturing process, among other crucial aspects.

I am sure you can use this as a guide when shopping for any kind of plastic pallet for supply chain management.

Here is all you need to know:

Classification of Industrial Plastic Pallets Based on Design & Structure

Ideally, this plastic pallet classification is based on physical characteristics. These are features you can see.

Below are some of the most popular types of industrial plastic pallets:

1. Stackable Industrial Plastic Pallets

Stackable plastic pallets are popular for their space saving feature within the warehouse and during shipping. The design of the bottom section is such that you can stack them on top of other pallets without slipping or falling.

Here are two examples of plastic pallets stacked together:

Stackable plastic pallets

They are available in different configurations such as a picture frame, cross bar or 3-runner. This unique design guarantees maximum stability when the pallets are stacked either with or without products.

2. Rackable Plastic Pallets

You can count on rackable plastic pallets when handling heavy loads. They have either picture frame or runners at the bottom for enhanced strength.

We design these pallets such that, you can comfortably place them safely on a rack top without falling. This is due to their unique design that fit perfectly on the rack.

Rackable plastic pallets

With these pallets, you can save more space on the floor. The rackable load must not exceed the load indicated on the pallet.

3. Nestable Industrial Pallets

If you need a pallet that can save more space during the return trip, than the nestable plastic pallets is the perfect choice. We design these pallets to occupy a quarter of the space occupied by other plastic pallet designs.

This is what I mean:

Nestable plastic pallets

As you can see from the image above, the legs of these plastic pallets go into each other. With these, you can easily transport plastic pallets easily and at a lower cost, especially during return trip.

Remember, this does not compromise their strength. The pallets are strong and can withstand enormous load too.

4. Drum Plastic Pallets

Whenever you want to ship drums in any industry, these are the best plastic pallets for this application. The drum industrial plastic pallets are uniquely designed with four modeled recessed ring.

The size of the recessed ring may vary depending on the size of the container. Below is an example of a plastic drum pallet:

Plastic drum pallets

For example, the drum plastic pallet above can only carry four 55 gallon drums. These recessed rings secure drums during storage and shipping.

Apart from these 4 types of industrial plastic pallets, others may include:

Note: We have both standard and custom made options. You can work with our technical team to design a unique industrial plastic pallet as per your requirements.

Another important aspect we use to classify plastic pallets is:

Types of Plastic Pallets Based on Application

We use plastic pallets in a wide range of applications in our daily lives. For instance, you may wish to transport drugs, foodstuff, electronics, etc.

Definitely, you will need unique pallets for these applications.

Over the years, I have seen many companies incur huge losses by choosing wrong pallets. I don’t want you to experience this too.

Here are some options you need to consider:

5. Export Industrial Plastic Pallets

These pallets are molded from recycled plastic, which is cost competitive.

We design these industrial plastic pallets only for export. That is, they are for one-way shipping.

Therefore, using 100% virgin high density polyethylene (HDPE) material or polypropylene (PP) material does not make any economic sense.

Plastic pallets stacked in warehouses

Our export industrial pallets are durable and strong, besides being environmentally friendly.

However, for a closed-loop supply chain system, you may opt for pallets made from 100% virgin HDPE or PP plastic material. Such pallets are strong, durable and will serve you for years.

At times, you may refer to such plastic pallets are reusable pallets or pool pallets. Such pallets are dimensionally stable and can bear enormous amount of weight for a long time.

6. Display Plastic Pallet

Our display plastic pallets are lightweight and smaller in size. Display plastic pallets are available in a range of sizes such as 600 by 800 and 400 by 600 mm.

Display plastic pallet in a foodstuff

You can use these plastic pallets in groceries, supermarkets or shops to display goods/products. The good thing about this process is that, you can conveniently move pallets using a forklift.

7. Spill Control Industrial Plastic Pallets

The design of these plastic pallets aims to contain any leaks or spillages during storage and shipping. You can use them to store and transport hazardous substances.

This way, the fluid will not leak on the floor or shipping container.

Spill control pallet

Like other industrial plastic pallets, these pallets come in a wide range of sizes and unique features. For instance, those used to transport drums may have recessed rings.

Here, I will recommend 100% virgin HDPE material. This is because it is resistant to most chemicals and absorbs less moisture.

8. Industrial Hygienic Plastic Pallets

Hygiene is a fundamental aspect in some industries such as: Pharmaceutical, foodstuff, drug and beverage industries. For a fact, plastic pallets are more hygienic than wooden pallets.

Moreover, they are not subjected to strict regulations.

A hygienic plastic pallet

Industrial hygienic plastic pallets are easy to clean with no corners or edges that can accumulate dirt. Their surface is completely smooth.

Furthermore, we may sterilize the pallets on request. This ensures the pallets are safe and do not hide any bacterial hence, reducing chances of infection.

Types of Pallets Based on Material

Depending on the specific requirements in industries, we mold plastic pallets from a wide range of materials. Normally, this forms an integral part when describing plastic pallets.

Let’s review the most common example.

9. PP and HDPE Industrial Plastic Pallets

Broadly, we have:

PP industrial plastic pallets
HDPE industrial plastic pallets

Here, you have two options – PP or HDPE plastic materials. However, I recommend plastic pallets made from 100% virgin HDPE.

This is because PP is more expensive HDPE.

Alternatively, you may opt for a mixture of PP and HDPE plastics. These are mainly recycled materials.

Loading HDPE plastic pallets in a truck

Type of application will determine the type of plastic material you’ll use for your industry pallets. That is, whether you intend to use the industrial plastic pallet as an export only or in a closed-loop system.

10. Heavy Duty Industrial Plastic Pallets and Medium Duty Industrial Plastic Pallet

It is an important aspect of plastic pallet classification. Like the names suggests:

Heavy duty industrial plastic pallets are strong, durable and you can use them for a long period of time. A good example is the plastic pallet made from 100% virgin HDPE material.
Medium duty industrial plastic pallet; they are commonly used for internal warehouse processes.

A heavy duty plastic pallet

Depending on what you want to use plastic pallets for, you may consider a heavy duty or medium duty plastic pallet.

Classification of Plastic Pallet Depending on the Manufacturing Process

In our factory, we adopt different plastic pallets manufacturing processes depending on customer needs and requirements. These may range from:

Production capacity or needs
Cost of pallet production
Strength and durability

Generally, we have:

11. Molded Industrial Plastic Pallets

Generally, we have three types of industrial plastic pallets depending on the nature of the manufacturing technique. These include:

Injection molded industrial plastic pallets
Blow molded industrial plastic pallets
Thermoformed industrial plastic pallets

Plastic pallet machine

I have written some articles that will give you more insights on this subject: Thermoformed Plastic Pallet and Injection Molded vs. Blow Molded Plastic Pallets.

Special Purpose Plastic Pallets

We design some types of industrial plastic pallets for specific applications. This depends on the unique requirements of the client.

12. RFID Industrial Plastic Pallet and Anti-static Industrial Plastic Pallets

In case you are manufacturing sensitive electronics, then you may consider these options. I am not saying that this is not the only special purpose plastic pallet.

RFID plastic pallet

We can customize the pallet to meet your unique applications. For now, let me explore these two options:

Anti-static industrial plastic pallet; they are common in electronic industry. These industrial pallets are designed to discharge static charges. This prevents any accumulation static charges on the industrial plastic surface.
RFID industrial plastic pallet; these pallets come with radio frequency identification (RFID).

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many types of industrial plastic pallets available in the market. So, ensure you do proper research to choose one that suits your application.

In case you find this too overwhelming, I am always ready to help.

12 Types of Industrial Plastic Pallets for Supply Chain Management