If you primarily manufacture hardwood pallets at the moment, then extending your product range to include softwood products is worth considering. Why is this a good idea?
1. Give Your Customers More Choice
While some companies only want to use hardwood pallets, others might actually prefer a softwood option. For example, these pallets are usually lighter; they are also cheaper to produce and buy.
Some companies don't find that heavyweight hardwood pallets work all that well for them. This can also be a problem for companies that only use pallets once.
They pay a fair amount for a more expensive hardwood that has a single use, which is a waste of resources and money. They might appreciate being able to pay less for softwood pallets on this basis. Your orders could increase, and you could tap into new markets.
2. Tap Into Softwood Availability
There may be times when you find it hard to get a constant supply of the hardwood you need to make your current product range. Hardwoods are sometimes in short supply compared to softwoods.
Softwoods make up more of the market than hardwoods; they tend to be more readily available when you need them. They also grow more quickly, which keeps their availability constant over time.
So, you won't typically have any sourcing or supply issues as there are more of these woods available to buy at any given time. If you do have any problems sourcing hardwoods, your softwood product range will keep you going until your other supply chain opens up again.
3. Increase Your Green Credentials
While many businesses simply look at costs and basic quality when they buy pallets, some also look at broader environmental issues. If a company is looking to follow sustainable practices, then it might not be comfortable using products made from hardwoods.
Issues like deforestation may influence some buying decisions. Some companies may veer away from buying products made from woods that they don't see as being sustainable.
This is less of an issue if you offer softwood pallets. Softwoods grow that bit more quickly so they are more sustainable and easily recycled.
This may tick some environmental boxes with some of your current and prospective customers. It also helps you promote your own green credentials if this is one of your business drivers.
So, adding softwood pallet manufacturing to your portfolio could be a benefit both to your customers and your own business.
Where do you think all of the stuff you see around your home or office comes from? It doesn't just appear out of nowhere, right? The truth is, every product and item you use during the course of an average day will have been manufactured or processed in a factory or plant. This blog is dedicated to this industry. We aim to enlighten the rest of the world about the magic which happens in a manufacturing plant. Our team of writers aren't experts, but their passion for this subject means that everything you see on this site has been carefully researched. Enjoy!