Bailey Pallet Energy Consumption

An Indicative Energy Perspective – Steel versus Plastic  
(With Acknowledgement)  

Any HDPE plastic pallet weighing 35kg requires 805 KwH of energy for production.  
This is equivalent to 120kg of coal.

It takes about 1.76kg of petroleum to produce one kg of HDPE.  This steel pallet, the 25kg repeat use version, requires only 124 KwH of energy to produce by comparison.  This is equivalent to 18.6kg of coal and about 15% of that needed for HDPE.  Also the energy cost to recycle a badly damaged steel pallet is 15 KwH or about 12% of a new one. This is under 2% of the energy required for a new HDPE pallet.  Each steel pallet is infinitely recyclable for the same product without degreading material quality.

Recycling in decades to come will be even more energy efficient using the base stockpile than from new steel production. That is the BIG picture.  From a production perspective and an energy consumption basis steel is the clear (and green) winner over plastic by 85%. 

RFID Solutions for Steel Pallets

After exhaustive testing Adilam Technologies believes that RFID solutions for use with steel pallets are feasible in a typical supply logistics environment.

Utilizing the QinetiQ 900MHz RFID tags flush mounted to steel pallets, accompanied with the Alien Technologies ALR-9800-WR1 system, several experiments were conducting under the systems standard operating conditions.

Our conclusion, as supported by the evidence in this document, is that utilizing the above-mentioned criteria, a fully functional RFID Solution incorporating steel pallets is a workable solution.

Additionally in an effort to enhance the performance of such a solution Adilam Technologies is currently advising QinetiQ on specifications for a new industrial Q25 RFID tag. The industrial Q25 tag will exhibit greater durability to damage and its size and shape will be specifically designed for optimal use within the steel pallet project.

On average, every six wood pallets you see is at the cost of one tree.

Stain resistance

Red meat, beer, red wine and motor oil have not stained the metal in tests.

Labelling test successful.

Various types of label, paper and metallic, have endured weather exposure and adherance to the metal satisfactorily.