Wood Packaging Industry by the Numbers

While seemingly simple, pallets and wood packaging have great significance on the complex supply chain—and not just for the people who manufacture, repair, and distribute these products.  But, for those who use them every day, too.

The following numbers may make you re-think your view of the humble pallet, crate, or other wood shipping container. Or, at the very least, you’ll have a load of data with which to impress or stump your co-workers, boss, or friends (pardon the pun…we couldn’t resist).

400 Billion – The amount in U.S. dollars of American trade that is exported annually using wood pallets and containers. (Click for source)

31 Billion – The total economic impact in U.S. dollars that the wood packaging industry generates. (Click for source)

2 Billion – The number of pallets in circulation in the U.S.; of those, 95% are wood. (Source: Modern Materials Handling)

326 Million – The number of wood pallets that were recovered and reused in 2011.

148 Million – The number of wood pallets there were recovered and reprocessed in 2011 into other wood products such as mulch, animal bedding, wood particle board, or bioenergy.

173,000 – That’s how many jobs the wood packaging industry supports in the United States. (Click for source)

4,700 – The average amount of weight in pounds that a standard (48 x 40) wood pallet can hold (Click for source)

3,000 – The number of pallet re-manufacturers in the U.S. that recycle pallets and send them back into circulation. (Click for source)

2,683 – The number of businesses—mostly small, family-owned—in the U.S. manufacturing wooden pallets, crates, boxes, and bins. (Click for source)

620 – The number of people that attended the last Interpal Conference to network, tour wood packaging facilities, and engage in education sessions. (Click for source)

100 – Recycling just 100 wood pallets saves 2.81 CO₂ emissions per month, which is equal to removing 10 cars off the road (Click for source)

95 – That is the percentage of wooden pallets that are being recycled, according to a recently conducted landfill avoidance survey (Click for source)

8 – The number of languages supported by the Pallet Design System™ engineering software program (Learn more)

When viewed by the numbers, it’s easy to see how pallets and wood packaging help strengthen the supply chain. If you’re running low or if you have any questions, please contact our wood packaging specialists.