Pallets, Packaging and Cable drums
The Three Essential Industrial Uses of Radiata Pine
New Zealand’s first major export of plantation grown New Zealand Radiata Pine was to Japan for use as industrial wood. That was well over 30 years ago and the species has since become the first choice in many parts of Asia.
Pallets
Radiata has been used with great success in New Zealand and overseas for many years for the manufacture of pellets. Even without preservative treatment, pool (re-usable) pallets often have an economic life of over five years.
Worldwide, more than half of all pallets are used by pallet “pools”. many users agree that the performance of radiata is comparable with that of American southern yellow pine.
The performance of radiata pine when used for pallet construction is a function of wood density and lumber grade based on maximum allowable knot size. For a given density and grade, radiata pine is stronger but less stiff than several other species. This makes it very suitable for applications where shock loadings may occur.
Wooden Crates & Boxes
radiata Pine is once again the perfect product for the manufacture of crates and boxes. This is mainly a function of it’s density and knot size. Moisture content is also important which can be managed through kiln drying. Throughout the whole range of industrial packaging, radiata pine has a unique advantage in its very good nailing properties. Its ease of nailing, resistance to splitting and the holding properties of ring shank nails make it ideal for this end use.
Cable Drums
Radiata pine accounts for much of the industrial lumber used for the manufacture of cable drums in Japan and across Asia. Knot size is not a limiting factor for drum sides, as the board thickness can be increased and double thicknesses used in load sharing situations on large cable drums. relative to steel and plastic drums, wood has the advantages of low cost, ease of repair, workability and size/dimension flexibility.
In addition to these industrial uses New Zealand radiata pine sawn timber is now the international choice for a wide range of interior fittings and fixtures, including windows, doors, frames and jambs, mouldings, stairs, cabinetry and bench tops.