Total pallet management – Which option is right for you?

A well-known ice cream chain offers 31 flavors of its delicious treat. With so many options, it can be hard to choose.  The same can be said of pallet management. Should you handle it in-house or off-site and with what services? From sortation and repair to inventory management, picking the right variety can seem overwhelming.

But, taking your time to evaluate and determine the right pallet management program is worthwhile. In fact, many of the nation’s largest retailers and supply chains use Total Pallet Management (or TPM) because of its effectiveness.

5 Questions to Ask When Considering a Pallet Management Program

If you’re in the market for a program to manage your pallets, consider the following questions to determine what matters to you and what you’re willing to pay for:

1. What is your pallet volume? First of all, do you have enough volume to support third-party workers? If not, you may be able to manage your pallet program completely in house or utilize third-party help part time.
2. Do you experience seasonal spikes? If so, you may benefit from a third-party to store pallets off-site. Another option is getting pallets delivered only when you need them (or just-in-time). Rose Pallet offers LTL delivery for exactly the number you need, right when you need them.
3. What is your sortation criteria? Are you keeping and re-using more pallets or do you buy on the open market regularly? If the former, you may benefit from third-party help to sort through pallets and determine viability, especially if sortation is necessary on a frequent basis.
4. Where do you store your pallets? Are they stored in a yard or do they take up precious floor or dock space? We all know that every inch counts toward the bottom line. So, if storing your pallets off site will free up space in your warehouse, the service may pay for itself.
5. Do you use a local pallet supplier or affiliate? Trucking costs can add up fast. You will want to work with a supplier or one of their affiliates that is in close proximity to your distribution operations. If this is not possible, you should consider on-site services to reduce transportation costs.

Answering these questions is the first step toward determining your path for pallet management. Of course, your pallet vendor should be able to assist in your analysis. Which brings us to another important topic—partnering with the right pallet provider. In next week’s blog post, we will cover how to select one for your unique TPM needs.