BASF chose NPE2018 to show off its eco-friendly, lightweight and cost-efficient composite pallet developed in partnership with Lightning Technologies.
BASF
The composite pallet is stronger, more durable and safer than traditional wooden or plastic pallets and is said to be the first of its kind to offer a hermetically sealed surface – a crucial component in pharmaceutical and food transportation safety. It protects against insects, bacteria, mould and other harmful organisms that can damage shipments or cause delays.
Lightning Technologies’ composite pallet combines a sustainably sourced substrate, which is fabricated with a newly formulated proprietary hybrid polyurea spray coating named Exobond, developed in partnership with BASF.
“The synergistic partnership between BASF and Lightning Technologies was critical to making this composite pallet a reality,” said Scott Schlicker, Industrial Marketing Manager at BASF Performance Materials.
“Our goal is to revolutionize the pallet industry, and to do so we needed the right material partner to make that a reality,” added Jeffrey Owen, CEO of Lightning Technologies. “BASF matched the inventive and innovative spirit of our company, and together we’re making groundbreaking advancements for pallet platforms.”
Exobond, the polyurea spray coating material developed jointly by BASF and Lightning Technologies, enables several benefits for the composite pallet. It increases durability for end-to-end supply chain stages and is chemically-resistant to ensure safety during storage and transportation. It creates the hermetically sealed surface. Its improved strength-to-weight performance makes the pallet lighter, easier to handle and more fuel-efficient to transport. The composite pallet is made from sustainably sourced materials and all production waste will be repurposed into additional value streams.
“This composite pallet outperforms traditional pallets in terms of safety and durability because of material innovation and close collaboration between our companies,” said Schlicker.
