Pallet Chief Manufacturing Penetrates Market Further with Pallet Chief IV Tandem Nailing System

In the 1980s, shiners had become such a problem for partners Barry
Landers and Rudy White in their own pallet manufacturing company that some pallets were
being refused on delivery. It’s very easy to understand how costly ‘returned
pallets’ can be if you are a pallet manufacturer.

Barry and Rudy were forced to provide a solution to the problem or lose
good pallet customers. They had explored the market place for a suitable nailing machine
that would eliminate shiners and reduce labor costs as well. What they found was an even
bigger dilemma. Nailing machines either were very, very expensive or they were too slow
and lacked versatility.

Drawing on their experience in building design and business management,
they developed their own nailing machine. "I built the prototype in my shop at
home," Barry recalled. "It wasn’t pretty at all, but when we tried it we
knew our shiner problem was solved."

They put the prototype to work and found
that it also increased their production drastically. "We were so impressed, we
applied for and received the patent, built three more and put them to work," said
Barry. With Rudy’s encouragement, they decided to market the nailing machine they
called the Pallet Chief. They felt that marketing the machine was best done by
demonstrating the machine itself. They took the Pallet Chief to the Kentucky Wood Expo in
Bowling Green, Kentucky.

"We received an outstanding response at the show," Rudy
recalled. "The simplicity of operating the Pallet Chief generated enormous excitement
among the attendees. The unique sound of the Pallet Chief drew a crowd during
demonstrations. We built it simple, so it’s simple to operate and simple to
maintain."

Their company, Pallet Chief Manufacturing, now offers four standard
nailing machine models. Pallet Chief nailers range in production from one pallet in two
minutes to two pallets per minute. The machines, along with stackers of various
configurations, offer versatility and production unseen in the pallet industry for dollars
spent, according to Barry and Rudy.

"Sure, we have new things coming later," said Barry,
"but we still design simple mechanical machines with no programmable logic controls
or computer components, and we already have machines to suit any pallet builder except for
block pallet builders. We also design and build specialty machines to handle almost any
size or configuration in pallets and skids. Special designs are about 30% of our
business."

Located in east-central Alabama, Barry and
Rudy consider themselves a low-profile company. "A no-frills company," said
Rudy.

"With sales numbering over 400 units and parts sales at under $500
per month, we must be building a very durable and dependable machine," said Barry.
"It’s good that we don’t depend on parts sales."

Wisconsin-based Superior Services bought a Pallet Chief III for its
pallet division in 1998. Ron Hendrikson, operations manager, said the machine is used for
assembling new pallets and also combination pallets — pallets made of a combination
of new and used parts. "We run it every day, so we’re real happy with it,"
he said. The machine, used mainly to nail 48×40 pallets, produces a minimum of 300 per day
and has assembled up to 400, he said.

Ron saw the new Pallet Chief IV demonstrated at the recent Midwest
Forest Industry Show. While watching it build two pallets per minute, he was so impressed
he recently ordered the conversion package to convert his machine to a Pallet Chief IV.

The new Pallet Chief IV is a two-gantry nailing machine that can hold
up to eight nailing tools. The first gantry nails the bottom deck boards. The machine
automatically advances the partly-assembled pallet and flips it to the second station so
that the top deck boards can be positioned. Nail placement is guided by a mechanical
method through the use of a proximity switch. "It’s very accurate and
dependable," said Barry. The gantry never stops. "It fires on the fly."
When the pallet is completed, it feeds into the company’s angled stacker.

The machine can be run by two operators, one
at each gantry to position the pallet components. The Pallet Chief IV is designed to
produce about two pallets per minute. The standard Pallet Chief IV can build pallets
ranging from 34×34 to 48×48. The company will supply other versions to accommodate
different pallet sizes.

The Pallet Chief IV is a "big step, a big difference" for the
company, Barry noted, because it is designed for high-volume production. "It’s
very rare to find that production…for that kind of money."

"We still maintain the simplicity," Barry added.
"It’s really so simple to operate and maintain that practically anybody can do
it." The maintenance required is no more than simple adjustments and service to power
nailing tools that normally is performed by supplier representatives.

"We’re very pleased with the Pallet Chief IV," said
Barry. The machine is not expected to supplant or replace other Pallet Chief machines
because it is so different, he said. "We feel like the Pallet Chief IV is going to
have a strong impact in the industry."

Pallet Chief machines and systems range in price from $6,490 to
$69,500. Special systems are priced per customer specifications.