Costs for business all add up, and it can often be hard to find economical and efficient ways to cut costs. That’s why we’re starting a new series of blogs here at PR Pallets, showcasing easy and ingenious ways for you to change your current resources and materials, for plastic alternatives in your warehouse.
We’re kicking off the series with a great plastic alternative that has allowed a US Logistics company to make substantial savings, while simultaneously decreasing labour demands.
The Problem
Based in Orlando, Florida, Fastmile Logistics’ plastic wrap costs were averaging $14,000 a year and were on the hunt for plastic alternatives that would help to reduce their packaging materials and disposal costs.
Previously, loose shipments would arrive at their storage facility wrapped in a plastic wrap. Each time they needed to load an outgoing delivery, they would have to unwrap and rewrap the pallet. Not only was this a time-consuming task, but it was also a costly one too. This drained their labour resources and required them to make a substantial investment in re-packaging materials.
Their search for a plastic alternative led them to pallet bands…
The Solution
Sceptical of the idea, Fastmile Logistics agreed to try out pallet bands in one of their warehouses. They monitored their efficiency – and whether they were strong enough to hold the load – and quickly discovered the rubber pallet bands were both a cost-effective and time-saving method, and their new plastic alternative to shrink wrap.
General Manager of their Orlando location, Brad Ward, said: “We have been using the bands since 2014 and found that in plastic wrap product cost alone we are saving around $5,000 a year.”
When asked how well the bands have worked for them, Brad Ward said: “We use two bands, one at the top and one at the bottom to keep the load stable and have found no problems with the bands stabilizing our loads.”
The Benefits
Ward also quickly realised his savings were larger than he had originally estimated, as well as noticing their spending had reduced by more than a third. He hadn’t considered their waste costs, which he estimates the bands help save a further $200 per year.
Fastmile have been using these bands for four years now and continue to enjoy their benefits, so much so they have implemented these bands to their other warehouses and facilities, which have seen similar savings. This is a great environmental and time-saving solution, as workers no longer have to unwrap and rewrap each pallet.
Plastic wrap is an essential warehouse item, especially for securing loaded goods on pallets. If this example is anything to go by, a simple change of something that you use every day can help you save a considerable amount of money.
As a nation, we are working on reducing our plastic usage. Although we won’t be able to eliminate plastic overnight, if you are aiming to reduce the amount of plastic in your warehouse, simple switches like this can help you save money and the planet at the same time.
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