Types of Racking Systems

The pallet storage industry employs various racking systems to optimize space and efficiency. Common types include:

• Mobile Racking
• Shuttle Racking
• Conventional Racking
• Hybrid/Customized Racking

Understanding these systems allows businesses to select the most suitable options for their storage needs (Future Insights) (Mordor Intelligence).

Frame Load Capacities

Pallets come with different frame load capacities essential for meeting various storage requirements:

• Up to 5 tons
• 5 to 10 tons
• Above 15 tons

Choosing the correct load capacity ensures safe and efficient storage operations (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

Various Racking Systems

Different racking systems are used in warehouses, each offering specific benefits:

• Cantilever Racking
• Selective Racking
• Push Back Racking
• Drive-in Racking
• Pallet Flow Racking
• Carton Flow Racking

These systems help maximize storage space and accessibility based on the facility’s needs (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

Industry Usage

Pallets are widely used across several industries. According to surveys:

• 51% in manufacturing
• 18% in wholesale trade (durables)
• 10% in retail
• 7% in wholesale trade (non-durables)
• 14% in other sectors

This widespread usage demonstrates the versatility and importance of pallets in various operations (Mordor Intelligence).

Company Revenue

Businesses of various sizes rely on pallets for storage:

• 24% with annual revenues of less than $10 million
• 22% in the $10 million to $49.9 million range
• 17% in the $50 million to $99.9 million range

These statistics highlight the broad appeal of pallets across different revenue brackets (Mordor Intelligence).

Material Preferences

The preferences for pallet materials are as follows:

• 94% use wood pallets, consistent over the years.
• 37% use plastic pallets, unchanged from 2020.
• 12% use wood composite pallets, stable over the last two years.
• 6% use metal pallets.
• 4% use cardboard or corrugated pallets.
• 1% use other materials.

Wood pallets remain the dominant choice, with plastic and composite materials also widely used (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

Pallet Sizes

Common pallet sizes and their usage include:

• 80% use the standard 48 x 40-inch pallets, up from 68% in 2020.
• 24% use 48 x 48-inch square pallets.
• 12% use 42 x 42-inch pallets.
• 10% use 36 x 48-inch pallets, down from previous years.
• 8% use 36 x 36-inch pallets.
• 13% use the 24 x 20-inch “half pallet” size, up by 2%.

The standard size remains the most popular, with variations based on specific storage needs (Mordor Intelligence) (Research and Markets).

New vs. Used Pallets

Trends in the use of new and used pallets include:

• 60% of businesses purchased new wood pallets, up from 53% last year.
• 73% reported using used or “core” pallets, up from 61% last year.

This indicates a significant shift towards both new and refurbished pallets (Research and Markets).

Pallet Pools and Availability Issues

Challenges in sourcing pallets include:

• Use of pallet pools decreased to 18% this year from 24% in 2020.
• 47% reported fewer available used wood pallets, up from 27% last year.
• 33% found used wood pallets more expensive, up from 9% last year.
• 24% reported no issues procuring used wood pallets, down from 40% last year.

These trends reflect growing challenges in sourcing and the rising cost of used wood pallets (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

Increased Use of Used Wood Pallets

The use of used wood pallets has significantly increased:

• 51% of respondents reported using more used wood pallets this year, nearly doubling from 27% last year.

This rise indicates a growing trend towards sustainability and cost-efficiency in pallet usage (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

Decrease in Use of Used Wood Pallets

• 11% of respondents said they are using fewer used wood pallets compared to last year, down from 31% in 2020.

This decrease suggests a shift in preferences or availability issues (Mordor Intelligence).

Increased Use of Plastic Pallets

• 18% of pallet users reported an increase in their use of plastic pallets, up from 15% last year.

This shows a slight but notable rise in the adoption of plastic pallets, likely due to their durability and other benefits (Mordor Intelligence) (Research and Markets).

Stability in Plastic Pallet Usage

• 66% of respondents said their plastic pallet usage has remained the same over the past year.

This indicates consistent use and possibly satisfaction with plastic pallets among a majority of users (Research and Markets).

Future Expectations for Plastic Pallet Usage

• 22% expect their use of plastic pallets to increase over the next year.
• 16% expect a decrease.
• 57% believe their usage will stay the same.

These projections reflect mixed expectations regarding the future use of plastic pallets (Mordor Intelligence) (Expert Market Research).

Reasons for Increased Use of Plastic Pallets

Among companies anticipating increased use:

• 23% cited durability.
• 26% mentioned compliance.
• 20% believed plastic is more sustainable than wood.
• 17% noted customer demand.
• 11% felt they have greater control over plastic pallets.

These reasons highlight the diverse benefits driving the adoption of plastic pallets (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

Use of Pallet Rental Companies

• 12% of respondents are using or plan to use pallet rental companies, up from 9% in 2020.

This increase suggests growing interest in rental solutions for pallet management (Research and Markets).

Pallet Retrieval or Recovery Systems

• 14% use or plan to use other types of pallet retrieval or recovery systems, down from 16% in 2018.

This decrease indicates a possible decline in the popularity or awareness of these systems (IMARC) (Mordor Intelligence).

Pallet Rental and Recovery Service Usage

• 74% said they do not plan to use pallet rental or recovery services, down 1% from 2020.

This majority indicates limited interest in these services despite a slight decline (Research and Markets).

Likelihood of Using Retrieval or Recovery Systems

• 9% said it is highly likely they will use these systems over the next year, up 3% from last year.
• 21% said it is not very likely, down from 30% last year.
• 39% said it is not at all likely, up from 33% in 2020.
• 15% were unfamiliar with these systems, down from 19% last year.

These statistics show varying levels of interest and awareness in retrieval or recovery systems (Expert Market Research) (Research and Markets).

Load Stabilization Methods

• 64% use stretch film.
• 46% use shrink film.
• 34% use strapping/banding, down from 40% in 2020.
• 13% use tie sheets.
• 9% use Lock’n Pop Adhesive.
• 7% use a stretch hood.
• 12% use a shrink hood.

These methods are commonly used to stabilize pallet loads, with stretch and shrink film being the most popular (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

Use of Interlocking System for Load Stabilization

• 17% use an interlocking system, up from 4% in 2020.

This significant increase highlights the growing adoption of interlocking systems for load stabilization (Mordor Intelligence).

Manual vs. Automated Stretch Wrapping

• 46% manage all wrapping manually, up from 41% last year.
• 26% use some automated stretch wrappers.

This indicates a shift towards manual wrapping, possibly due to cost or operational preferences (Mordor Intelligence) (Research and Markets).

Use of Third-Party Services

• 23% of companies have used or plan to use third-party services for better pallet and transport packaging solutions.

This demonstrates a reliance on external expertise for optimizing pallet operations (IMARC).

Vendor Managed Inventory/Just-in-Time Delivery

• 24% said their providers offer vendor-managed pallet inventory or just-in-time delivery, up from 21% in 2020.

This increase reflects the growing adoption of efficient inventory management practices (Expert Market Research).

On-Site Recycling and Reclamation Management

• 24% receive on-site recycling and reclamation management services, down from 32% in 2020.
• 10% receive supply chain data and information, up by 1%.

These figures show varying levels of service offerings from pallet providers (Mordor Intelligence).

Interest in Supply Chain Data

• 24% are now interested in supply chain data, up from 9% in 2020.

This sharp increase highlights the growing importance of data in managing pallet operations effectively (IMARC).

Load Stability Issues

• 76% of companies reported no load stability issues, down 5% from 2020.

This suggests that while most companies have stabilized their loads effectively, a small percentage still face challenges (Research and Markets).

By staying informed about these trends and statistics, businesses can make more strategic decisions regarding their pallet storage practices and optimize their operations accordingly.

Pallet Delivery and Shipment Statistics and Trends (2023)

Use of Pallets for Shipping Corrugated Boxes

• 72% of companies use pallets to ship or receive corrugated boxes.

Pallets are crucial in the logistics of corrugated boxes, reflecting their widespread use in this segment (Mordor Intelligence) (Research and Markets).

Use of Plastic Totes and Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs)

• 18% of companies use pallets for shipping or receiving reusable plastic containers or plastic totes, up from 6% in 2020.

This increase highlights the growing trend towards sustainable packaging solutions (IMARC) (Research and Markets).

Shipment of Pails

• 17% of companies ship or receive pails using pallets, up from 9%.

This rise indicates an increased reliance on pallets for transporting such packaging types (Expert Market Research).

Shipment of Bags

• 15% of packages shipped or received using pallets are bags, down from 21%.

This decrease suggests a shift in the types of items being palletized (Mordor Intelligence) (Research and Markets).

Shipment of Drums

• 14% of companies use pallets for shipping or receiving drums, up from 10%.

The increase shows a growing use of pallets for handling drums (Expert Market Research).

Shipment of Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs)

• 6% of packages shipped or received using pallets are FIBCs.

These containers remain a smaller but essential segment of palletized goods (Research and Markets).

Domestic vs. International Shipments

• 45% of companies used pallets for domestic shipments in 2021, down from 66% in 2020.

This drop may be due to changes in market conditions and recovery from pandemic-related disruptions (IMARC) (Expert Market Research).

• 2% of companies characterized their pallet shipments as international, consistent with 2020.
• 53% of companies ship pallets both domestically and internationally, up from 33%.

The significant increase reflects a broader reach and expansion in global trade activities (Mordor Intelligence) (Research and Markets).

Regional Shipment Trends

• Leading regions for pallet shipments include Canada, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean.
• Shipments to the Asia Pacific region rebounded to 55%, up from 33% last year.
• 54% of companies ship to Western Europe, up from 48% in 2020.
• 41% ship to Eastern Europe, up from 24% in 2020.
• 34% ship to the Middle East and North Africa, up from 10% last year.

These trends indicate a strong recovery and growth in international pallet shipments (Expert Market Research) (Research and Markets).

Future Expectations for International Shipments

• 57% of companies expect an increase in international pallet shipments over the next two years.
• 39% expect their international shipments to hold steady, down from 2020.
• 4% anticipate a decrease in international shipments.

These expectations show optimism for international trade growth (Mordor Intelligence) (Research and Markets).

Precautions for International Shipments

• 49% of companies treat their pallets when shipping internationally.
• 25% use wood pallets they own for international shipping.
• 14% use plastic, corrugated, pressed wood, or metal pallets for international shipments, up from 5% last year.

Taking precautions ensures compliance and safety in international logistics (Expert Market Research) (Research and Markets).

Changes in Pallet Shipment Volumes

• 11% of companies reported a decrease in international pallet shipments over the past two years.
• 55% said their international shipment volumes remained the same.
• 34% reported an increase in international shipments over the past two years.

These figures illustrate varied experiences among companies in handling international pallet shipments (Mordor Intelligence) (Expert Market Research).