As society at large becomes more aware of the environmental concerns of using traditional wooden pallets, pallet-free bulk bags manufacturer Tellap tells Mining Weekly that it has observed a trend away from using traditional wooden pallets.

“Though the transition is slow, there is growing interest in moving away from the wooden pallets that have dominated the logistics industry. Environmental concerns surrounding traditional wooden pallets, such as the clear felling of forests for timber, fumigation for international shipping and the changing climate, have resulted in timber becoming more difficult to source and, therefore, more expensive,” says Tellap director Ken Mouritzen.

As a market competitor of wooden pallets and bulk bags, the Tellap pallet-free bulk bags have been developed for the packaging and transporting of dry, loose semibulk products, including high-value minerals in the mining industry.

“Cost is always a strong driving factor for change – with supply challenges and environmental factors driving up the cost of wood pallets, more companies are looking for alternatives.

“While the use of Tellap bags is on the rise, there might be some companies that are hesitant to make the switch from using traditional pallets to Tellap bags because of a possible fear of the unknown and the uncertainty of the changes that might accompany this shift,” Mouritzen explains.

However, he notes that the transition to Tellap bags entails few process changes and minimal staff training. Moreover, using the product often means savings of company resources and increased safety as warehouse staff no longer need to physically handle heavy wooden pallets.

In addition the bags are “extremely lightweight” – a design characteristic included in response to industry demand. The proprietary bulk bag and two strong plastic sleeves that are integrated into the base of the bag weigh less than 5 kg.

The bags are manufactured from 100% recyclable polypropylene, and when requested, are manufactured “to a safety working load of 6:1, which means they can be reused depending on the product being transported”.

About 25% of all Tellap bags are supplied to the mining industry, Mouritzen notes, adding that industrial sectors have had different responses to lockdown constraints. However, Tellap has, for the most part, been resilient in 2020.

“Covid-19 has affected supply in some countries; however, Tellap has a diverse supply base and is able to change licensed manufacturers or source from other countries to ensure a stable supply of products,” he concludes.