Reusable packaging provider Orbis Corp. is highlighting the results of a study on pallet longevity by the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design at the Modex 2018 show. The study that found that Orbis's plastic pallets can complete, on average, 200 trips without significant damage or failure versus 11 trips by a standard wood pallet.
For the study, researchers took Orbis's 40- by 48-inch RackoCell rackable pallet and subjected it to a 10-step handling sequence in their lab that replicated the conditions the pallet would face in the distribution environment. For example, the pallet was loaded with 1,500 pounds of material and pushed 30 feet across a concrete floor using a forklift. After every 10 cycles through the track, an empty pallet was dropped from a height of five feet. The results for the plastic pallet were then compared with those for a standard wooden stringer pallet.
The intent of the study was to provide customers with third-party research to answer one of their most common questions: How long will the plastic pallet—which is more expensive than the wood one—last?
For more information, visit www.orbiscorporation.com.
