What Is The Future For Pallet Use In The UK?

In the last three or four years, many more companies have been buying recycled pallets rather than new ones. The obvious answer is the cost, but what are the benefits otherwise? If you search for "pallet distribution near me" You will find logistics companies that can supply either new or used pallets, and there is quite a big difference in the price.

For example, one company is quoting a 1200mm x 800mm four-way three-legged EPAL Euro wooden pallet new at £15.90 with free delivery when you spend £250 or more. This has been heat treated to the strict ISPM15 standard which includes an iron branding stamp on two sides of the pallet which ensures hassle free exporting. The same company offers used pallets of the same size and capacity at £9.90 per unit for A grade and £8.90 per unit for B grade. As you can see, there is quite a big difference in the price which is why the trend has been for recycled pallets recently as opposed to new.

 

Searching for "pallet distribution near me" also produces returns for plastic pallets which can be considerably more expensive as they are produced to food grade standard. For instance, one manufacturer offers a 1200 mm x 1000 mm plastic pallet which is four-way entry and stackable and is ideal for high care and food contact environments. This pallet is priced at £94.80 including VAT. It is described as a favourite among the food manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceutical, and engineering industries, and is made from food grade polyethylene.

In fact, the food and drinks industry are driving growth in the plastic pallets industry as there is rising demand and the need for functional food along with the increase in the disposable income of consumers.

It is also expected that there will be a growth in the use of paper pallets in the next four to six years. These are made from honeycomb, corrugated, and moulded pulp and are very cheap to produce.

One type of pallet that is not so likely to appear if you search for "pallet distribution near me" is the metal pallet. This is because of the niche area of businesses that continue to use this type of pallet.

What Is The Future For Logistical Services?

The coming few years are likely to be critical for the logistical services international industry as technology moves onwards at an ever-increasing pace. The industry is gearing up to take on the challenges and the opportunities provided by the latest technological developments. These are going to really alter 3PL and some of these technologies are already in use. Mobile apps and 3D printing are already here, but logistical services international faces other technologies such as driverless vehicles and drone deliveries.

These are still in the testing stage and may never completely take over, but there is no doubt that they are only around the corner. Uber is already testing driverless taxis, Elon Musk is pressing ahead with driverless electric vehicles, and there is talk of driverless flying taxis also. A company called Volocopter has been testing them in Germany since 2016. There is a way to go yet, and several people have already been killed using driverless vehicles because the technology has not yet reached the point where it is fail-safe.

This seems to be a stage where we already have level 3 autonomy, which is when a machine requires human supervision and occasional assistance, and level 4 autonomy where the machine takes over completely. Scary? Some would think so. What happens when the machine breaks down? Nonetheless, it is very likely that a considerable amount of the deliveries of the future will take place using drones and driverless vehicles, although they may never take over completely.

The internet of things is coming upon us and will give devices and products the ability to talk among themselves. In the future, devices and products will have an RFID chip implanted in them so that they will know their right place in the warehouse, identify themselves, gather information about their surroundings, and transmit this to the handlers.

Another thing that can affect logistical services international is 3D printing. When you have the ability to produce an exact working copy of something, manufacturers may choose to ship raw materials instead of finished articles so what is being shipped will change considerably.
Certainly, the future of logistics is going to be very different from today.