What if you replaced your pallets with slip-sheets?
Updated: Jun 1, 2022
The slip-sheet, a real alternative to the pallet.
Palletless handling – an efficient, economical and environmentally friendly solution for transporting your goods internationally.
Exports are essential to a country’s economy.
In every industry, it all starts with the supply chain. It is a process that begins with the arrival of the raw material dedicated to the production of a good, and ends with the delivery of the finished product to the consumers.
Although there is an impulse toward re-localization, this chain remains resolutely international today.
In this process, there are many factors to consider. In particular, in international flows outside Europe, such as handling equipment, packaging materials, wooden pallets, etc.
Throughout this commercial operation and its internationalization process, the various actors must be aware of the constraints and risks associated with international business in order to be better prepared for setbacks and to be more efficient. Complications can occur as early as the packing and palletizing phase. Consideration must be given to the constraints associated with the containerization of the goods, for example: the dimensions of a container are not the same as those of a truck! The same goes for the dimensional standards of the pallets, they differ from one continent to another… All these elements are potential risks for an operation to turn into a real money pit.
To avoid this scenario, it is important to make the right choices, especially before any manufacturing, packaging and shipping. And we will help you.
Did you know that in recent years, pallets, which are widely used for export, have revealed a number of drawbacks? Indeed, their costs are quite high, they take up a lot of storage space, and the weight of the pallet adds to the total weight of the load. Let’s take a closer look at why you should switch to slip-sheets.
1 - The disadvantages of a pallet from an ergonomic and economic point of view
The basic equipment for handling via pallets to support goods are forklifts, either diesel or electric.
The handling is simple. The goods are loaded onto the pallet and then wrapped in stretch film or secured with strapping. The forks of the forklift are placed between the feet of the pallet. The forklift picks up the pallet and moves it to the warehouse or onto a truck.
So far, you might think it’s efficient for handling, but pallets, such as they are, also have some drawbacks. Especially wooden ones, which are the most common types of pallet.
- The weight of the pallet
As we mentioned earlier, you should know that by using pallets, you add extra weight to your overall load. Their initial weight varies between approximately 17 and 25 kg (depending on how they are made).
In addition, wooden pallets are very difficult to clean, and if they are wet, product safety might be at risk (development of fungus, bacteria, and deformation).
- The cost of the pallet
The price of a single pallet has tripled in recent years; for instance, wooden pallets have become much more expensive, but also much rarer, because some pallet manufacturing workshops have been stopped or slowed down.
In addition, maintenance costs are common since wood is an organic material and can be easily destroyed or warped.
CGP Coating Innovation has an efficient solution for addressing these different problems: the recyclable ECOLOGISTIK® Kraft liner slip-sheet.
A Push-Pull or RollerForks® accessory is required for slip-sheet gripping and handling. The advantage of these accessories is that you do not need to change your current forklift. The Push-Pull clamp and RollerForks® are easy to fit since they can simple be added to standard forklifts in minutes.
Their handling remains easy and can be learned in a few hours of practice.
The goods are placed on slip-sheets (which are, in turn, positioned on a pallet). They are then wrapped in stretch film and stored normally in your warehouse.
It’s only when the goods leave that the cart equipped with the Push-Pull accessory grabs the slip-sheet flap and pulls it onto the loading tray of the accessory. The cart moves the load inside the container or truck. Your pallet stays inside your warehouse in an internal circuit.
2 - The different advantages of a slip-sheet
- The weight of the slip-sheet
A single slip-sheet weighs between 450 and 800 g whereas a pallet weighs between 17 and 25 kg. This big difference means that you can load more goods into the truck or container. Did you know that you load between 360 kg and 720 kg of wood in a truck or container load? But now, thanks to the palletless handling, that’s how much more cargo you can load.
- The volume of slip-sheet
The pallet sheet is less than 1 mm thick, as opposed to a pallet which is about 150 mm high. This means you can load more goods into the container. You gain almost 300 mm of additional volume for your goods!
- The cost of slip-sheets
The most important advantage of slip-sheets is the significant reduction in purchasing costs, 80% on average.
Besides, you reduce your overhead costs by freeing up space to store your pallets. On the equivalent of a standard pallet storage space, you store 1,000 units.
This way, you can reallocate the space gained to storing your finished products or raw materials.
The pallet interlayer sheet is therefore an excellent alternative to wooden pallets.
3 - The slip-sheet from an economic and environmental point of view
Slip-sheets are becoming increasingly popular as companies begin to realize their great potential. They offer a number of advantages, in particular in terms of productivity, compared to pallets.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money on them, and they don’t need to be serviced or repaired. They can even be reused. If you have to throw them away after each use, don’t feel guilty: their life cycle is environmentally friendly since they are made of 100% recyclable paper and will be transformed into paper again and again.
As previously explained, slip-sheets are also much lighter than a wooden pallet, and less bulky. As a result, you can load more goods into your trucks or containers, maximizing the use of space and minimizing shipping costs and fuel spent to ship your products. The slip-sheet therefore has a positive impact on your carbon footprint.
Like any company, you are looking to improve the efficiency and profitability of your supply chain through solutions that have a positive impact on your CSR.
CGP Coating Innovation Group is working to meet this need with a number of innovative solutions that improve processes, significantly reduce costs, and are more environmentally friendly.
So, if you want to reduce your impact on the environment, while gaining competitive advantage with high added value for your company, we are here to guide you in choosing the Slip-sheet pallet that corresponds to your needs.