“UK businesses transporting their goods on kiln dried timber pallets under shrink wrapping to avoid mould and stain contamination issues, should think twice”, says Jim Hardisty, Managing Director of Goplasticpallets.com.

This warning comes following a recent announcement by PalletLink – the UK pallet and packaging advisory association – who reported that many pallet buyers who think that shrink wrapping their products on kiln dried timber pallets is safe, have found to their cost that this is not the case.

Although kiln dried timber pallets have a lower moisture content than standard wooden pallets, according to PalletLink, kiln drying timber to the 17 to 19 per cent level is only safe if the pallet loaded with goods is stored in freely moving air. Goods assembled on the pallet deck and then tightly stretch or shrink wrapped risk developing bluestain and mould.*

Jim continues: “Timber pallets that hold more than 16 per cent moisture content are not suitable for shrink-wrapped goods as rising temperatures create a greenhouse effect, which can sweat the pallets and cause rapid mould growth within the enclosed package. In the food and pharmaceutical industries this could be particularly catastrophic. It was only last year that Johnson & Johnson and a number of other drugs manufacturers were forced to recall huge volumes of medicinal goods as a result of contamination caused by fungal growth on wooden pallets.

“The simplest way to avoid bluestain and mould is to use plastic pallets. Not only are they 100 per cent water resistant; whether you opt for an open or closed deck, all plastic pallets can be washed manually or steam cleaned, so optimum hygiene is guaranteed.”

Goplasticpallets.com was established in 2001 and is a division of All Pallets Ltd. Since its inception, Goplasticpallets.com has fast become the UK’s leading independent supplier of plastic pallets and, through sister company Goplasticboxes.com, now offers an extensive range of plastic containers, crates and trays.

Goplasticpallets.com stocks in excess of 125 different pallets, offering a wide choice of product features and colour options. Pallet styles include nestable pallets, hygienic pallets, pool pallets, full perimeter and non-perimeter pallets, pallets suitable for export, and two-colour pallets, a new concept the company has introduced to aid pallet identification.

Goplasticboxes.com offers a further 115 plastic containers, crates and trays and a variety of accessories, including dollies, lids and flooring. Goplasticboxes.com has six distinct ranges – attached lid range, Euro range, folding range, agricultural range, food range and small parts range.

Coordinated from its base in Eastbourne, East Sussex, the company offers immediate quotes, next day delivery and award-winning customer service. It is the sole UK distributor of IPS and SmartFlow pallets, manufactured in Belgium, and Q-Pall pallets, manufactured in the Netherlands, and has close links with a number of other plastic pallet and container manufacturers across Europe and Asia, ensuring a comprehensive and competitive product range.

For more information, visit www.goplasticpallets.com and www.goplasticboxes.com

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