A paper pallet is a paper-based load platform designed to support products during transport, handling and storage.
Eltete Paper Pallets are built using paper-based components and can be supplied in standard or tailor-made configurations. Eltete offers different pallet qualities, sizes and heights according to the product, handling method and destination.
Unlike a conventional wooden pallet, Eltete’s Paper Pallet is designed around recyclable carton-board components. The system can include PallRun® pallet feet together with corrugated board, Honeycomb Board or other suitable deck-board materials.
What Is an Eltete Paper Pallet?
An Eltete Paper Pallet is a lightweight pallet solution constructed from paper-based materials.
The official Eltete Paper Pallet brochure identifies several core characteristics:
– Strong laminated carton-board feet
– Lightweight construction
– 100% recyclability
– Standard and tailor-made configurations
– 2-way and 4-way pallet options
– Different size and height possibilities
– Compatibility with different deck-board materials
– Suitability for roll-conveyor applications in appropriate configurations
The design can therefore be adapted according to the specific requirements of the product and logistics application rather than relying on only one standard pallet construction.
Q – How Does a Paper Pallet Work?
A – A paper pallet works as the supporting platform beneath a product or unit load.
The deck board provides the upper load surface, while the pallet feet or runners underneath create the supporting structure.
In an Eltete Paper Pallet, one of the key structural components is PallRun®.
Eltete describes PallRun® as a combination of strong laminated U-profiles with a kraftliner surface and paper cores. PallRun® components are used as basic elements in Paper Pallet construction and may be combined with carton board or Honeycomb Board.
The arrangement of the runners, deck material, number of cores, dimensions and pallet configuration can then be adapted to the required application.
Q – What Is PallRun®?
A – PallRun® is Eltete’s recyclable carton-board pallet foot or pallet runner.
It is designed as a paper-based alternative to wooden or other pallet runners and consists of compact carton-board profiles combined with stabilising paper cores.
PallRun® can be:
– Used to construct a complete Paper Pallet
– Combined with a suitable deck board
– Attached beneath suitable carton boxes
– Used beneath displays
– Applied directly beneath other suitable products
– Supplied with a self-adhesive option
Eltete also states that PallRun® contains no nails and produces no splinters.
Q – How Is an Eltete Paper Pallet Constructed?
A – An Eltete Paper Pallet can consist of two main structural areas:
1. The Pallet Deck
The deck is the upper surface supporting the transported goods.
Eltete states that several deck-board options can be selected according to the application. These include:
– Corrugated board
– Honeycomb Board
– Other suitable materials
Eltete’s Honeycomb Board is itself a 100% recyclable paper product and is listed by Eltete as suitable for use as a base for Paper Pallets.
2. PallRun® Pallet Feet
PallRun® components provide the supporting structure underneath the deck.
The number of paper cores inside a PallRun® can be customised according to the required strength.
This allows the structure of the pallet to be adapted according to the application instead of applying exactly the same pallet specification to every product.
Q – How Strong Is a Paper Pallet?
A – Paper-based construction does not automatically mean that a pallet is limited to light loads.
Eltete’s official Paper Pallet brochure states that independent laboratories have tested its carton pallets under different conditions. In one stated test, a 4-way pallet reached up to 10,000 kg of static compression strength without failure.
This figure should not be interpreted as the load capacity of every Eltete Paper Pallet.
Actual pallet requirements depend on the design, dimensions, deck material, PallRun® configuration and the requirements of the application. Eltete states that its pallet solutions are selected according to factors including product, handling, destination, required strength, space, material and cost expectations.
For this reason, the correct Paper Pallet should be designed or selected according to the specific load rather than applying one general load rating to every pallet.
Q – How Much Does a Paper Pallet Weigh?
A – One of the major differences highlighted by Eltete is pallet weight.
In its official Paper Pallet brochure, Eltete compares:
Carton pallet: approximately 3–6 kg
with:
Wooden pallet: approximately 15–25 kg
Eltete also gives an air-freight comparison using an average of approximately 5 kg for a carton pallet and 20 kg for a wooden pallet.
Actual weight will vary according to the Paper Pallet specification.
The lighter construction is particularly relevant where pallet weight contributes to the overall shipment weight. Eltete specifically identifies transportation and air freight as applications where this weight difference can create savings.
What Is the Difference Between a 2-Way and 4-Way Paper Pallet?
Eltete Paper Pallets can be manufactured in 2-way and 4-way configurations.
Eltete’s official Paper Pallet documentation shows examples of both 2-way and 4-way pallets at a reference size of 800 × 1200 mm.
The difference is based on the pallet configuration and the directions from which the pallet is designed to be accessed.
The required configuration should therefore be determined according to the handling system and application.
Eltete does not limit Paper Pallets to the illustrated 800 × 1200 mm examples. The company states that different sizes and heights can be provided according to customer requirements.
Q – Can Paper Pallets Be Customised?
A – Yes.
Customisation is a major part of Eltete’s Paper Pallet approach.
Eltete states that its pallets can be manufactured according to customer needs and that different quality, size and height options are available.
Variables can include:
– Pallet dimensions
– Pallet height
– 2-way or 4-way configuration
– Deck-board material
– PallRun® arrangement
– Number of cores within the PallRun®
– Required strength
– Suitability for the handling process
Eltete’s Paper Pallet brochure states that the number of cores per PallRun® can be customised according to required strength.
This makes it possible to develop the pallet around the application rather than selecting a pallet based only on a fixed standard size.
Q – What Sizes Are Available for Paper Pallets?
A – Eltete shows 800 × 1200 mm examples for both 2-way and 4-way Paper Pallets.
However, tailor-made sizes are also available.
According to the official brochure, automatic production covers deck-board dimensions from a minimum of 400 mm to a maximum of 1,200 mm, while manual assembly can be produced as required.
The same brochure lists PallRun® dimensions including:
Width: 90 mm
Height: 100 mm
Length: 200–1,200 mm
Eltete’s separate PallRun® brochure also shows height options of 60 mm or 100 mm and states that length can be produced according to need.
The final pallet specification should therefore be selected according to the required packaging application.
Can Paper Pallets Be Used on Roll Conveyors?
Eltete states that its Paper Pallets can be designed for use on roll conveyors.
Its official Paper Pallet brochure specifically explains that Flatboard can be incorporated into the pallet design to provide strength and make roll-conveyor use possible.
This is another example of why Paper Pallet construction needs to match the intended handling system.
A pallet designed for one handling environment should not automatically be assumed to be suitable for another without evaluating the complete configuration.
Q – Are Paper Pallets Recyclable?
A – Eltete identifies its Paper Pallet as a 100% recyclable paper-based transport packaging solution.
PallRun® is also described by Eltete as a 100% recyclable carton-board pallet foot that can be recycled together with other carton material.
Eltete’s wider transport packaging approach follows its Reduce, Replace and Recycle philosophy and focuses on recyclable paper-based transport packaging products.
Q – Do Paper Pallets Require Fumigation?
A – Eltete states that its Paper Pallet solution requires no treatment like wood and is ISPM 15-compliant.
The Paper Pallet brochure likewise identifies the product as requiring no fumigation and being ISPM-15 compliant.
This makes the topic particularly relevant to companies evaluating paper-based pallet solutions for export transport.
For a detailed comparison between paper and wooden pallets, readers can also refer to Eltete’s existing Paper Pallet vs Wooden Pallet: Which Is Better for Export Shipping? article.
Q – Where Are Paper Pallets Used?
A – Eltete identifies several typical end-user groups for its Paper Pallet solutions, including:
– Food producers
– Pharmaceutical companies
– Export companies
– In-store displays
Eltete’s wider company profile also identifies industry sectors including electronics, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, logistics, furniture, steel, automotive and white goods among the sectors served by its transport packaging solutions.
The correct Paper Pallet specification should still be selected according to the particular product, load, handling process and transport requirement.
Paper Pallet for Air Freight
Paper Pallet weight can be particularly important in air-freight applications.
Eltete’s official comparison shows an average example of approximately 5 kg for a carton pallet compared with approximately 20 kg for a wooden pallet.
Eltete therefore lists lighter pallet weight as one way of reducing transport weight and identifies export companies as one of the typical end users for Paper Pallets.
Paper Pallet vs Wooden Pallet
Eltete presents Paper Pallets as a recyclable and lightweight alternative to wooden pallet solutions in suitable applications.
