Reduced Weight + Reduced Waste = Reduced Cost

Let's take a simple look at what the financial impact could be by switching to a BoxnLoad cardboard pallet compared to continuing to use wooden pallets.

Reduced air freight cost

Even using conservative prices per kilogram for air freight (300+ kg shipment non-mixed to NZ) - the reduced weight of a BoxnLoad cardboard pallet can reduce the cost a pallet shipment by almost $50 per pallet. This saving increases depending on where you are shipping products to.

Reduced waste cost

The average wooden pallet disposed of in commercial and industrial waste bins would cost a minimum of $5 for disposal.  

The other costs of using wooden pallets

20-50 years in the making

Even softwoods used in lightweight pallets take 20-30 years to mature as trees before the wood is large enough for production. Hardwood takes much longer. The slow production time relative to the growth in population and demand for wood is driving the cost of raw materials up quickly. With a global shortage of softwoods we can expect price will increase between 5-15% year-on-year (woodprices.com). This will translate to more expensive wooden pallets.

Increased fuel use in transport

It is commonly accepted that for every additional 45kg above the tare weight of a motor vehicle, 1-2% more fuel is required. Multiply that out by 10-20 pallets in a truck and you are looking at significantly increased fuel use. Switching to cardboard pallets will save on fuel and emissions, and also an extra dollar or two.

Increased emissions

Reducing fuel use not only reduces expense, it also means less emissions. Even a reduction of 30kgs on a trip from Sydney to Melbourne via road freight saves 2kg of CO2 emissions. Add that up across a whole vehicle or a number of deliveries and the savings are significant. (http://www.sustainablefreight.com.au/tools-and-programs/emission-calculators/full-supply-chain-emissions-calculator)