Property Comparison of Different Standard Wood Pallets for Possible Local Sourcing

Abstract

The global expansion of freight transport across business types has impacted supply chain logistics in terms of coordinating the storage and delivery of goods and services across the supply chain. Wooden pallets are in high demand due to their price and environmental impact; however, the wood raw materials needed for making pallets are in short supply. This research was aimed at analyzing the possibility of using local wood instead of imported wood in the production of standard industrial pallets. Industrial pallets were designed using local acacia wood to replace some or all of the imported Radiata pine. This local acacia wood was utilized to prepare and construct pallets of the standard dimensions that were in accordance with the designs. Pallets made from the same type of wood and mixed woods were heat treated to meet the criteria of the ISPM 15 protocol for export. Flat pallet testing was conducted in accordance with industrial standards for the evaluation of the finished products. All types of pallets, including pallets containing local wood components, showed no visible damage during drop tests and compression strength assessments. However, the variability in diagonal span rates was influenced by the wood used in the fabrication process. Pallets frabricated from both partial and full acacia wood exhibited increased bending rates of 2081 and 2650 MPa, respectively, due to the higher levels of cellulose and lignin found in acacia wood. Our research suggests that there is an opportunity to manufacture standard pallets using locally sustainable wood resources, with some modifications to current industrial processes required.