What’s Happening in the Pallet Industry

Whether you’ve been in the pallet industry for decades or just a few months, it’s highly probable that you’ve heard of the PDS or Pallet Design System™.  This computer-aided design (CAD) program, for determining the safe load carrying capacity, performance, life, and economy of wooden pallets was developed back in 1984 by the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association.

This year, the association is celebrating the 30^th Anniversary of the PDS.  As explained in the January/February issue of Pallet Central magazine, the PDS started from a DOS-based software system that evaluated stringer pallets and now, several iterations later, has the capability to analyze stringer and block pallets and is equipped with a 3D user interface for enhanced functionality.  And, the NWPCA has plans to expand the capabilities of the PDS in the realm of unit load design, which is great news for pallet providers as well as purchasing managers involved in the procurement of pallets.

In other news, operating a lean business has become a hot trend and while many pallet companies have been focused on remanufacturing and recycling pallets for quite some time, the idea is continually evolving and extending into other areas of operation.  Waste reduction, for example, is not just about materials, but it can also be applied to labor.  That is why many pallet companies are examining the administrative function in an effort to better streamline processes and eliminate any work that may not be cost effective to the overall operation.  In the end, this cost saving will benefit the end-user.  At Rose Pallet, we have staff certified in LEAN manufacturing practices, so you can be certain our methods are refined and designed for efficiency, which means better overall value for our customers.

These are just a couple of exciting developments occurring in the pallet industry.  If you’d like to know more, please contact us.  And, as always, Rose Pallet is here to help 24-7 in your quest to source the right pallets for your operation.  Contact one of our pallet specialists to get started.