When it comes to selecting the best pallets for your material handling needs, the choice between rotationally molded and injection molded pallets can be critical. While both types have their benefits, rotationally molded pallets often come out on top for specific applications. Here’s why rotationally molded pallets can be the superior choice.

Longevity: Built to Withstand the Test of Time

Robust and Durable

Rotationally molded pallets are known for their robustness. They are designed to withstand harsh conditions, including extreme cold temperatures and the impacts that are common with forklift handling. Unlike injection molded pallets, which can be more brittle and prone to cracking under stress, rotationally molded pallets maintain their structural integrity over long periods. This durability translates to a longer lifespan, meaning fewer replacements and lower costs in the long run.

Customization: Flexible and Cost-Effective

Easier and More Cost-Effective Molds

One of the biggest advantages of rotationally molded pallets is the ease and cost-effectiveness of creating molds. Engineering and manufacturing a rotational molding mold is significantly cheaper than an injection mold. This cost differential makes it more feasible to produce custom pallets tailored to specific needs in quantities as low as 1000 without breaking the bank. The low tooling costs also allow for customized deck configurations to be produced inexpensively.

Encapsulate Metal Reinforcement

Rotationally molded pallets have the benefit of being able to encapsulate metal reinforcement within the rotationally molded shell to add stiffness, particularly for specialized racking applications. Encapsulating the metal minimizes chances for rust and degradation in wet environments.

Custom Colors and Color Coding

Rotationally molded pallets offer exceptional flexibility in customization. Whether you need specific colors to align with your branding or to facilitate organization, rotational molding allows for short production runs of colors with no added expense. Additionally, it’s simpler to add or remove steel reinforcements, change the top deck configuration, or add features like a lip or roll cradle. This adaptability ensures that you get exactly the pallet you need for your application.

Hygiene: Keeping Your Operations Clean

Easier to Clean

For industries where hygiene is paramount, such as food and pharmaceuticals, rotationally molded pallets offer a significant advantage. These pallets are non-porous and easy to clean, preventing the buildup of contaminants. Stiffness in an injection molded pallet is gained by adding ribs to the underside of the deck. Unfortunately, these ribs create a criss-cross pattern of pockets that become a cleaning challenge. Rotationally molded pallets are a hollow closed shape which gain stiffness through increasing the distance between the top and bottom surfaces of the deck. Those surfaces are relatively smooth with no sharp pockets to collect dirt or mold, which is the reason rotationally molded pallets are used extensively in the food and pharmaceutical industry.

 

Conclusion

For certain applications, rotationally molded pallets are superior to injection molded pallets due to their customization capabilities, longevity, and hygiene benefits. The cost-effectiveness of mold production, combined with the flexibility to customize colors and features, makes rotationally molded pallets an excellent choice for businesses looking to optimize their material handling solutions. Their robust construction ensures a long lifespan, and their ease of cleaning makes them ideal for industries with stringent hygiene requirements.

Discover how our rotationally molded pallets can revolutionize your material handling process. Contact us now 800-360-3636 for a personalized consultation and see how we can tailor our solutions to meet your unique needs. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your operational efficiency and reduce costs!

 

If you’d like to learn more about how the rotational molding process works be sure to check out this informative post, aptly title:

What is the Rotational Molding Process?