Time to ditch dead wood?
February 1st 2005

German automotive parts supplier, Marquardt, is urging other companies to consider a departure from wooden pallets after switching to Craemer plastic pallets.

Marquardt was converted after a technical problem with new conveyor belts on the factory floor failed to transport product on wooden pallets to the stockroom. It consulted Craemer, trialled the S5BL plastic pallet and introduced it to the stockroom – and is now purchasing pallets as opposed to renting them.

Soon afterwards, the company introduced small unit load carriers, necessitating the selection of another plastic pallet: the economical Euro HR1 – a regranulated version of the Euro H1. Since switching to plastic, Marquardt says storage areas are now virtually dust and dirt free; the factory’s sensitive floor covering is less prone to damage; staff injury risk (due to lighter pallets) is reduced; and no losses have been recorded in its 5000 pallet pool.

The firm suggests other companies assess plastic pallets’ whole-life economies.

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