Recycling, reusing, and upcycling is more essential than ever before in our modern world. As a result, we’re seeing an increasing demand for practical and economical materials for transporting goods – and wooden pallets are one of the most popular options.
Typically made from planks of sturdy wood, such as pine, pallets provide a secure platform for holding goods throughout the distribution process. They’re also a fantastic resource for creative projects, from planters and pathways to benches and bed frames.
As specialists in pallet transport for a number of years, we’ve seen the benefits of wooden pallets first-hand at John K. Philips. Whether you’re looking for pallets for sale in the UK to distribute goods or you’re planning on repurposing used pallets, you’ve come to the right place.
This blog will give you the lowdown on the best places to obtain wooden pallets for your needs.
Where to buy wooden pallets?
If you’re wondering where you can find wooden pallets for sale, these products are readily available if you know where to look. Some of the most common places that sell pallets are garden centres and DIY stores, though this can vary depending on your area.
It’s often easier to go directly to a local pallet manufacturer or a specialist pallet supplier. You should be able to find one near you by entering ‘wooden pallets for sale [location]’ into Google Search – for example, ‘wooden pallets for sale Warrington’.
If you don’t want to browse the pallets available in person, it might be more practical to simply order wooden pallets online. By searching Google in the same way as above, you should be able to find a pallet sales website that delivers to your location.
Remember to always check for the lock symbol next to the website address at the top of the browser window to make sure it’s safe. If you use a buying-and-selling site like eBay or Gumtree, always look at the seller’s reviews to see if they’re trustworthy.
Where to find used pallets?
Unless you need custom measurements or prefer the certainty of brand new pallets, it’s often easier to save money by sourcing used wooden pallets. Many businesses often discard the pallets from their deliveries and allow people to take them away.
However, removing wooden pallets from outside a business is considered stealing if you do so without the property owner’s permission. Always ask first, as they might agree to sell them on to you for a lower price or even give them to you for free.
The best place to look for used pallets is a dry goods store or a construction site. The next best place to find used wooden pallets is online. Search Google for pallet recycling companies in your area or look at resale websites to source cheap wooden pallets.
When buying second-hand wooden pallets, you should avoid certain types for health and safety reasons. If there is an IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) wheat stalk symbol, this means the pallet was used to carry food, which may have spread microorganisms.
If the pallet is marked ‘MB’ it means that the wood was chemically treated with methyl bromide, which is toxic, and has been banned since the 2010s. Steer clear of any stained or chemically treated wooden pallets, though ‘HT’ (heat treatment) is acceptable.
For peace of mind, look for pallets with a EUR / EPAL stamp, which are standardised by the European Pallet Association. These are guaranteed to be good quality with reliable sizing, only undergoing non-toxic and non-polluting heat treatment.
Which industries can benefit from using a pallet courier?
One of the key reasons for the popularity of wooden pallets in distribution is their versatility. Almost every industry can use a pallet delivery service for their business, whether they’re distributing household products, white goods, or even specialist waste.
Wooden pallets take up minimal space, can be stacked on top of each other when loaded evenly, and can withstand substantial weight. This strong structural design allows businesses to transport in bulk, making them ideal for companies who import or export goods.
Most retail stores will use wooden pallets for the deliveries of their products, from supermarket groceries to pet care supplies. Hardware stores, furniture and flooring sellers, garden centres, construction sites, industrial estates, wholesalers – even schools can use pallets.
Most goods can be palletised for ease of movement, unless they’re extremely fragile or hazardous, in which case special measures must be taken. As a member of the Hazchem Network, we cater to all distribution needs by offering a range of transportation solutions at John K. Philips.
Why do we offer a pallet delivery service?
When it comes to the transportation of goods, there are plenty of options out there, so why choose wooden pallets? Here are the three main reasons that you should use our pallet courier services to distribute your goods throughout the UK and Europe:
- ⦿ Safety – Secure and tightly packed, you can be confident that your goods are safe during transit and will reach your customers in good condition.
- ⦿ Eco-friendliness – Compared to plastic, wooden pallets are just as reusable but also biodegradable, cutting down on packaging many times over.
- ⦿ Affordability – Less packaging means less to pay for, and pallets are easy to load economically; you can even save money with part loads.
So, whether you need partial load or full load freight services, you can be sure to find the perfect road haulage solution with John K. Philips. You supply the palletised goods, we’ll supply the start-to-end transport and logistics service.
Contact John K. Philips for your distribution needs
Specialising in pallet delivery for over 40 years now, our company is confident in our ability to provide high-quality haulage services. Also experienced and appropriately trained in handling hazardous materials, we can exceed your expectations, whichever industry you’re part of.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with John K. Philips if you’re interested in our pallet haulage services or any other distribution service we offer. Simply give us a call on 01744 751 000 or send a written enquiry through our contact form to find out how we can help with your distribution needs.