How to Prepare for Pallet Collections

Pallets are used for numerous applications. Customarily, they represent an industry base that facilitates the transportation of goods. Notably, it ensures that goods reach their destination safely. 

In order to adequately support the items you intend to transport, the pallets have to be in perfect condition prior to collections. 

Now, what do you have to consider in order to prepare the pallet? What should you do before contacting a courier? Let's find out what makes the perfect pallet preparation. 

Wrapping Your Goods Prior To Collection

Pallet preparation and packing your goods as safely as possible is crucial and by doing so, you can diminish the amount of potential damage that may occur.

Before the courier arrives, you have to secure the pallet in place. In this respect, a shrink or stretch wrap will do perfectly fine and strapping will further secure the pallet before collection takes place.

When it comes to the wrapping material, this is just like a strong cling film wrap.

However, the degree of protection provided is not so significant, which is why you should make sure they are packaged appropriately before positioning the goods intended for transport. 

During transportation, the goods are likely to become damaged if they are not packaged properly during your pallet preparation process. To prevent this, you must ensure that they are confined within the pallet. 

Make Sure The Goods Are Stable And Centred

Before the courier arrives to collect your goods, you should check that your items are centred and balanced.

This is specifically because the pallets are lifted by a forklift, thus you must consider this when packing. On a different note, your items must address the specified height required for pallet collections. 

As for height measurements, you should measure the pallet from the ground to the top of the goods. This is because the maximum permitted height also includes the base of the pallet. 

You must also review the correct pallet measurements guide before securing your goods to a pallet. Standard pallet measurements must not be exceeded with any shipment, therefore they must measure 1,200mm by 1,000mm. 

It's also worth remembering that all freight should be shipped on a wooden pallet as these are typically more sturdy than other types of pallets.

Wooden pallets are the most common pallet type and are used more or less by every freight courier - not to mention that you can upcycle old pallet wood or scrap pallets after they're worn slightly. 

If you are ever unsure of the correct pallet measurements or you need to know the standard pallet dimensions before shipping your goods, you can always query the pallet courier for this information in advance of your pallet collection. 

Develop a Stacking Technique

A common mistake in pallet preparation is stacking items in a pyramid shape, often due to an uneven item count. However, it's crucial to load your pallet correctly to prevent damage during transit.

No need for artistic arrangements; the key is a neat, secure layout. Stacking items haphazardly like pyramids increases the risk of damage, especially to items in the higher boxes, which are less stable.

To minimise this risk, aim to stack items in even rows on each layer and both sides of the pallet. If you have extra boxes, consider booking another pallet for their safe transport.

Depending on box size, a quarter or half pallet may suffice to ensure safe transit for additional items without compromising the original pallet's stability.

This additional space guarantees safe transport for the remaining goods without jeopardising the security of the initial pallet.

Affix A Label On The Side

Let's move on to yet another essential detail when it comes to a pallet collection service, namely the indication of the address of collection.

You should ensure that the collection address is securely affixed on the side of the pallet so that it remains visible to the courier where your freight should reach at the end of its journey.

It's worth noting that a courier normally collects only the pallets that address the preparation and safety standards.

However, the pallet courier must abide by the health and safety guidelines; this way, it can facilitate enough support so that the goods are fully protected during transit. 

On a slightly different note, if the pallets are in good condition, they can be reused. So, keeping them in good condition and following expert advice means that you could save yourself money on your next pallet collection.

This time, you will be able to reuse your pallets (as long as they are in good condition) and just pay for the courier services instead. 

Relying on a used pallet for collections is nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes, a used pallet for collection is all we can afford but as long as the pallets are in good condition, they should do the job just fine.

As long as you secure the pallet in place before the courier arrives, your used pallet should be ideal for pallet collections. 

The Bottom Line

To conclude what has been mentioned above, these are just some of the most important guidelines that apply when it comes to preparing goods for a collection. 

As you can gather, you have to ensure that you pack and secure the pallet accordingly so that it reaches its destination safely. 

For more information regarding pallet collections, please contact PalletOnline directly.