Pallets are wooden, plastic, paper, or metallic flat structures that are used for transportation purposes. They provide a stable surface for shipping containers or goods to sit on while they are being hoisted by various tools such as
pallet jacks, front loaders,
forklifts, jacking devices, and cranes. There are two types of strapping which are used to secure loads on the pallet surface, which are shrink wraps and stretch wraps. Wooden pallets are very popular and are the most common type of pallet because they provide a cheap, lightweight, durable, and rigid surface. As an invention of the 20th century, pallets have been used for a long time for shipping purposes in the form of wooden barrels and wooden boxes. More modern pallets are featuring metallic features such as shipping containers that can be used to support goods in various modes of transport. Types of wooden pallets include stringer pallets, flush pallets, block pallets, and carrier block pallets.