Reinventing Airfreight Logistics with KraftPal’s Lightweight Pallets

Lower freight costs, reduced emissions and no compromise to product safety 

The healthcare industry demands specialized logistics solutions that balance cost, safety, and sustainability. Pharma’s increasing reliance on airfreight is clear: it doubled globally from 108.7 million ton-kilometers (TKM) in 1999 to almost 220 million in 2021 (World Bank, 2023). But airfreight typically costs 4-5 times more than road freight, and as much as 16 times more than ocean freight: so pharma shippers understandably demand maximum value from their airfreight budgets. At the same time, there is no room for compromise to the safety of their high-value cargo. And environmental impact remains a key and growing focus. 

Enhanced Efficiency, Protection and Sustainability 

KraftPal pallets offer a compelling solution that significantly improves transportation efficiency, while protecting cargo and reducing emissions. 

More efficient use of your investment in airfreight 

As most shipping professionals know, air freight costs are based on weight or volume, generally using a conversion ratio of 6000cc = I kilo. This means that most pharma and medical traffic is “dense” cargo, charged according to its weight, rather than “volume” cargo charged by its volume. It follows that anything which lightens a pre-palletised “dense” shipment will also reduce its freight cost. The good news? Kraftpal pallets are less than a THIRD of the weight of legacy wooden pallets: 16.64 lbs vs. 55 lbs. 

So, even where cargo is shipped (and charged) as full container or airline pallet loads (ULDs), reductions in the weight of packaging can still reduce your unit shipping costs, as more product can be carried before the ULD reaches its maximum weight. This applies equally to full plane charters, where Kraftpal’s lightweight pallets can achieve better use of the available volume or maximum weight limit. 

Finally, the specially-designed Kraftpal AF range fits 60% more pallets on a 10 ft flat pallet ULD (PMC/P6P), once again shipping more product at the same cost – so reducing unit shipping costs. And the reduced height of Kraftpal pallets achieves 10.2 inches more useable load height per stack, enabling more product to be shipped at the same cost. 

Example 1:  

A shipment from Vienna (VIE) to New York (JFK) via DHL, comprising one 882 lb GMA pallet (48” x 40”). The lighter KraftPal pallet directly reduces the chargeable weight, resulting in cost savings: 

Example 2: Load Space utilisation comparisons 

And not forgetting . . .  

Durability and Strength 

Despite being lightweight, KraftPal pallets are remarkably durable, supporting static loads up to 9920 lbs (3300 lbs in transit) and offering typical load capacities of 1900 -2500 lbs. This combination of strength and efficiency makes them an ideal replacement for one-way legacy wooden pallets. 

Saving the planet 

KraftPal empowers pharmaceutical companies to achieve their sustainability and net-zero targets. Easy to handle, recycle, and integrate, these pallets offer a seamless way to modernize logistics and minimize environmental impact. 

The manufacture of Kraftpal pallets substantially reduces de-forestation compared to legacy wooden pallets. 

The lower weight of Kraftpal pallets also directly reduces fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions: 

Air Freight CO2e emissions  

One pallet from Brussels, BEL to New York, USA

Utilizing the lighter KraftPal pallet leads to a reduction in CO2e emissions per pallet, while also yielding substantial cost savings per pallet. For a more in-depth analysis, please refer to the Kraftpal AF Case Study from 2020. 

KraftPal pallets offer a sustainable alternative to traditional wooden pallets, addressing landfill concerns through their ease of recycling and full recyclability. For pharmaceutical companies striving to meet sustainability and net-zero targets, KraftPal’s pallets provide a modern, easily integrated logistics solution that minimizes environmental impact. These pallets directly support corporate sustainability goals by offering a practical way to reduce waste and improve logistical efficiency.