Customers are pushing pallet limits By Chris Druck_ PALLET CUSTOMERS
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need to be educated about the dangers of overloading pallets, while operators need to face up to the issue to protect their rates.
Speaking to CM, Adam Leonard, MD of The Pallet Network, said incidents of customers overloading pallets had increased since the recession. The comments came after David McCutcheon, MD of Bothwell-based Bullet Express, contacted CM to say a sample of the weight of full pallets at his depot had revealed many were overweight (typically 1,200kg, or 1,000kg for tail-lifts).
He said: "I've become concerned with the increase in size of pallets through the networks. We are handling pallets [weighing] 1,200kg to 1,500kg at times, both in the warehouse and on trucks while delivering.
"This is being caused by the customer trying to claw back costs by adding more goods to each pallet," he added.
McCutcheon is concerned about the impact of overloading on deliveries, with official guidance suggesting no more than 500kg should be pulled with a manual pallet truck. "Customers are making pallet loads wider and higher, and operators aren't reflecting this increase in what they are charging. We look at some rivals' quotes and, at the rate they are charging, they aren't making any money," he said.
While several operators confirmed overloading is an issue, many are nervous about tackling it for fear of losing customers. In response, The Association of Pallet Networks has issued packaging guidance materials to allow hauliers to educate their customers. READER FEEDBACK "In my experience as a driver, and now in charge of despatch at my organisation, I think most customers are sensible — but hauliers aren't clear about how they enforce the weight and volume of goods packed onto pallets."
Lee Dalton, sales representative, Roder UK "Every day pallets are encountered loaded to over 6ft high. Often they require two people to get them to move in the trailer, and are impossible to control while moving them down the trailer and onto the tail lift." Roy Larkin, driver "Some customers aren't bothered what the weight is on the pallets they pack because they will pay the same on a standard size pallet if it's 200kg or 1,200kg."
Chris Brown, Express Haulage