In Australia, palletised freight transport is now the norm in many industries. This is because this near-universal form of freight transport is convenient for most classes of goods. Only very heavy or bulky items, such as precast concrete sections, for example, require more specialist handling with skids and so on. Virtually all consumer goods, on the other hand, can be palletised without very much effort. How is it that palletised freight transport has become so popular? Read on to find out more about just some of the advantages this form of shipping affords.
Quicker Distribution
Although smaller businesses may have to invest in a forklift to move pallets around their goods-in and goods-out areas, the investment can be worth it for the time it saves. Hand-operated lifters, also known as pallet jacks, are not that expensive anyway considering the functionality they provide. Even in small loading areas, pallets can be handled swiftly, moving extensive amounts of items in a single load. What's more, at distribution hubs around the country, many facilities are set up to handle palletised freight transport automatically, using a combination of rollers, conveyor belts and even robots these days.
A Low-Cost Solution
Even very structured pallets that are designed for high-end goods are not that dear. They can be used and reused many times before they come to the end of their working lives which means that their cost per shipment is very low indeed. In fact, some of the cheaper pallets that might not last as long are great just for storing goods on after they've been sent to customers. Pallets are their own storage system to a certain extent, raising goods off the potentially wet ground and helping to keep them aerated.
Lower Levels of Damage
When goods are handled, they tend to come into most contact at the sides and underneath. This is because these are the areas where they are lifted. With palletised freight transport, the outer edges of any shipment will be made up of the pallet that is holding the goods. Equally, the underside of any consignment will be fully protected by the pallet. As such, fewer shipments arrive at their intended destination even with superficial damage when they have been palletised. Shipments that are made up of cardboard boxes only, on the other hand, tend to show signs of wear on all sides. Therefore, if you want your goods to arrive in top condition, it is a good idea to wrap them securely onto a shipping pallet.
Reach out to a service like Ditton Bulk Haulage to learn more.
