5 Benefits of Using Timber Crates in Supply Chain Logistics
If you operate in shipping and logistics, you’ve already seen multiple types of packaging. But of all those options, one towers above the rest and seems to be a favourite: timber crates. This article will explain why most businesses still prefer wooden crates in their supply chain and how these simple yet practical containers might be the best for your logistics problems.
Better Protection and Durability
When it comes to protecting worthwhile cargo, timber crates are hard to top. Wood has shock-absorbing properties. If you compare a wooden box falling, you’ll see that it doesn’t shatter like plastic nor dent like metal. The impact is absorbed, and the cargo inside will remain safe and sound.
Heavy duty timber crates can also support massive loads. You can stack them without the fear of collapsing, and they won’t buckle under pressure like some alternatives may. They naturally resist vibrations, which is utterly important given that your goods are moving by truck, train, and ship for long distances.
And although no packaging is completely weatherproof, wood crates can be treated to withstand any weather. They won’t rust like metallic boxes, and they’re much more stable than plastic in extreme temperatures.
Customisation Options
One of the best things about timber crates is how easy they are to customise. Need a specific size for an oddly-shaped machine? No problem. Want extra reinforcement for particularly heavy items? That’s easily done. This flexibility is a holy grail for businesses shipping non-standard items.
You could resize them or add internal bracing to meet your specific needs and add cushioning that suits your application, all of which can be designed to make sure the goods arrive in the best possible condition with maximum shipping efficiency. For example, you can use dividers, lifting points for heavy machinery, or special ventilation for temperature-sensitive products.
That’s why the global market for wooden packaging is expected to grow to nearly USD$17 billion by 2024. The bottom line is that the logistics industry is using timber crates at their full potential, and you can do the same. (1)
Environmental Sustainability
Timber crates also offer a number of green advantages. This is a crucial consideration now that environmental sensitivity is increasingly recognised as an important factor.
For example, while wood will only be a renewable resource if harvested from sustainably managed forests, it’s certainly a long way from the non-renewable polymers of which 26% of plastic packaging is made. At the end of the life cycle, the timber crate biodegrades within the environment with no residues left behind. This is starkly in contrast to plastic containers that would be around for hundreds of years if they ended up in landfills. Furthermore, several sorts of wooden crates may be recycled as other wood products or biomass fuel, meaning a much more cyclic economy. (2)
Plastic or metal containers also require processing and energy to produce; meanwhile, wooden crates have a relatively low carbon footprint. In fact, plastic pallets contribute 50% more greenhouse gases for each 100 transport trips than wooden pallets. (3)
Cost-Effectiveness That Makes Sense
With competition getting more saturated, every little bit counts, especially when managing business costs. And this is precisely where timber crates excel. Compared to metal containers or other special shipping solutions, they’re much cheaper. However, the price range of a timber crate makes no sacrifice in terms of the cost-benefit ratio.
The financial savings don’t stop with the cost of purchase alone. Timber crates are lighter than their metal cousins, which can save huge amounts of shipping costs, especially by air freight. And they’re rather easy to repair: a dented panel can be repaired without scraping the whole crate.
Plus, most companies can recycle their wooden pallets, spreading the expense over several shipments. Even when they reach the end of their useful life, the materials can be repurposed, adding to their cost-effectiveness.
Practical Advantages for Daily Operations
The practical advantages of wooden crates make them the favourite of most warehouse workers and logistics. Their simple design is easy to stack and store, maximising warehouse space. Compared to other solutions nowadays, which are high-tech packaging materials, wooden crates can almost be managed using standard forklifts and pallet jacks.
Another useful advantage is that much time is saved in re-assembling and modification. Most crates can be assembled on-site, which helps save storage space when they’re not in use. Besides, these timbers are easily labelled and marked using traditional stencils or modern barcodes and RFID tags.
Perhaps most importantly, wood crates can be inspected easily. Folks from the customs and quality control department could look inside these containers by opening them up. This is possible without incurring damage to the solid wood crates, which ensures no compromise to structural integrity. This can expedite the processing of customs clearance and reduce delayed entries into your supply chain.
Final Thoughts
Newer packaging solutions are emerging, but the classic timber crates remain part of solid supply chain logistics. They can offer protection and customisation options while saving costs, as well as being sustainable and practical to use. When it comes to shipping fragile electronics, heavy machinery, or anything in between, timber crates represent a reliable, tried-and-tested solution that’s hard to beat.
With such importance placed on successful logistics operations within the supply chain, at The Institute of Supply Chain Management (IoSCM) we offer a range of professional qualifications in logistics and transport, each carefully designed to match modern businesses’ needs and upskill professionals at all stages of their logistics careers.
The IoSCM Logistics and Transport training programmes are available as part of our wide selection of Supply Chain Management courses, covering every aspect of the industry. Start earning an internationally recognised qualification today. To find out more, call us on 0800 1422 522.
References
1. “Wood Packaging Market|Cost Benefits Associated with Wood Packaging to Boost Market Growth | Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecast | Research Report by Technavio”, Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201120005580/en/Wood-Packaging-MarketCost-Benefits-Associated-with-Wood-Packaging-to-Boost-Market-Growth-Size-Share-Trends-Analysis-and-Forecast-Research-Report-by-Technavi
2. “Need for Sustainable Packaging: An Overview”, Source: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/20/4430
3. “Carbon footprint of wood and plastic as packaging materials – An Australian case of pallets”, Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652622020479