Used returnable packaging already is utilized extensively and many firms have incorporated this green initiative into their distribution system to some extent.

Since almost all plastics businesses sell to other manufacturing companies, the returnable container portion of that equation provides a unit that is strong, stackable, and forklift-transportable. With the right returnable container (often a plastic pallet container), the products are protected from damage during transportation.

The used pallet container works like a fortress – if anything hits, stabs, or bumps the container, the container is strong enough to protect whatever is being stored or transported inside.

In the Fall issue of Plastics Business Magazine, manufacturing journalist TR Cutler notes, “Green sustainable packaging solutions are as simple as reusing containers. Pallets and containers are the fundamental products for transporting, distributing, and storing almost all products and materials.

"Using containers and pallets made of plastic offers benefits for sustainable and efficient operations. Plastic pallets and containers are reusable and do not require treatment for pests.

"The benefits of plastic pallets and containers include hygiene, constant quality and dimension, no splintering or nails, and no water absorption. Plastic pallets and containers also are weather-resistant, stack and nest for excellent space utilization, can be easily repaired or replaced, and can be uniquely colored.”

How to Deal With

Critters and Pests.

If you’re trying to run a business, you know that you have a lot to think about. You need to worry about marketing, advertising, and sales. You need to think about how to find employees, create rules and payroll policies. And you need to think about the future and the way that you are planning for growth and expansion. However, with all of these big questions, some of the smallest details can be the ones that hurt you the most – for example, pests in your warehouses can lead to problems that you may not have thought of.

The problem with insects and other critters is that they are everywhere that you might be, so it’s only a matter of time before they start to head into your business space. They’re hard to see, hard to spot and even more difficult to control when you’re not careful. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent problems with these pests and keep your inventory from becoming the victim.

Here are some signs that you might have pests:

• Inventory damage after shipments have arrived and been inspected.

• Droppings on the floor and in corners

• Spilled stock without any cause

• Sightings

• Signs of nests, hives, eggs, etc.

The first thing that you will want to do is consider hiring a professional exterminator to diagnose your problem. To most of us, bugs look like bugs, but you need a more definitive answer than that when you’re talking about the sanitation of your business and its products. Find a local professional that can come out and determine the pests that you have as well as construct a plan to get rid of them. This might be costly at first, but regular maintenance of pests is far easier than dealing with customers that find unwanted ‘extras’ in their orders.

Another thought is to consider steel buildings or metal buildings for your warehouse needs. Metal buildings aren’t subject to problems like termites and can also keep out pests more efficiently than wood-framed buildings. Likewise, steel buildings are nearly as hospitable for bugs that like to burrow in natural materials. If you are looking to build a warehouse anyways, these kinds of buildings might be a good fit when you’re already having insect issues.

Other ideas:

• Keep your stock off of the ground by using pallets or other lifts. This will make it more difficult for pests to access your stock.

• Limit food consumption at your workplace. Insects need food to survive, so if any food or drink is spilled, it can become a gathering place for anything from ants to roaches and worse.

• Install shelving that’s off the floor. In addition to pallets, you can install shelving that allows products to be off the floor and out of the way of direct access to bugs.

In the end, if bugs and critters want to get into your things, you will need to either accept this fact and use regular maintenance or have a foolproof way of keeping them out. This might include plastic containers, a separate metal storage area, etc.

Author: General Steel is one of the most recognized names in the industry for top-quality pre-engineered steel buildings. General Steel is a company that has a reputation for excellence in the Steel building industry. They are into manufacturing of Steel Agricultural Buildings, steel aircraft hangars.