Suppliers Offer Alternative Products

Corrugated Pallet Corporation Signs 2 New Licensees

Corrugated Pallet Corporation (CPC) has reached formal agreements with two new licensees for the manufacture and marketing of its product line of UNIPAL corrugated pallets.

The WNC Group, including Pasadena Pallet & Skid, Alabama Pallet, and Baywood Products, recently started its first UNIPAL manufacturing operation in Pasadena, Tex. It will serve customers in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast region.

In addition, Shanghai ChengSen Technologies Co. Ltd. has ordered its first UNIPAL manufacturing system to be placed in Shanghai, China. Under the sales agreement, the company plans to buy 10 UNIPAL manufacturing systems to be placed throughout China over the next few years.

Interest in and demand for pallets made of alternative materials is increasing, according to CPC president Stanley Lee, in part because of the new international phytosanitary regulations.

As a result, CPC plans to announce significant investments in the company soon that will enable it to more rapidly expand its manufacturing presence, particularly in the U.S.

Corrugated pallets can address many user applications and requirements, especially the patented product line of UNIPAL pallets that are offered by the licensees of Corrugated Pallet Corporation. UNIPAL corrugated pallets transport loads in excess of 3,000 pounds and are made in sizes up to 75×60. They are used by the petrochemical, electronics, and other industries to safely and efficiently transport their products.

UNIPAL corrugated pallets are somewhat unique because they are constructed with pallet members, often referred to as corrugated lumber. The beam strength design feature of the UNIPAL pallets makes them capable of supporting and transporting loads that are not unitized.

Assembly of UNIPAL pallets is simple and easy. They can be assembled at remote locations using simple, inexpensive equipment like that available from Bronco Pallet Systems.

International phytosanitary regulations either now in place or pending have prompted positive interest in corrugated pallets. The new rules have prompted comparisons between the advantages of corrugated paperboard pallets and wooden pallets.

The first significant marketing problem faced by the corrugated pallet industry was the perception that corrugated pallets were for only limited applications. Corrugated pallets are not waterproof and can be damaged if significantly exposed to water, although they are used in overseas shipment.

Ironically, what once appeared to be a drawback has become a selling point. Since the corrugated pallet is dry and clean, it has a major advantage over the wood pallet when it comes to compliance with phytosanitary regulations.

A wet or dirty pallet is a ‘red alert’ to custom officials that a potential phytosanitary violation may be present. The load may be placed in quarantine.

Corrugated Pallet Corporation is working with wooden pallet manufacturers to establish UNIPAL operations throughout the U.S. For more information, call (281) 370-1307 or fax (281) 370-2535.

Wood packaging material for export is subject to strict international regulations and standards. EUROBLOCK pallet blocks for block-style pallets comply with all standards and offer additional benefits.

EUROBLOCK-Verpackungsholz, a subsidiary of Anton Heggenstaller in Germany and the Dutch Presswood International, is a worldwide company specializing in packaging components such as wood, blocks and center core plugs.

The environmentally friendly EUROBLOCK pallet blocks are made from a mixture of pine and recycled wood chips in a complex, patented manufacturing process. The EUROBLOCK is superior to blocks sawn from wood, according to the company. In fact, globally operating pallets pools such as EPAL and CP recommend the use of EUROBLOCK pallet blocks.

EUROBLOCK pallet blocks provide the following advantages for pallet manufacturers and their customers:

! ready for manufacture

! no extra drying cost; 8-10% moisture content upon delivery

! accurate size and easy handling, making them safe for automated pallet assembly and computer-controlled high shelves

! stable; high resistance against nail extraction and resistant to forklift damage

! bio-degradable

! produced to comply with all European Union and international shipping standards for wood packaging material; no SIREX treatment necessary

EUROBLOCK pallet blocks may be fastened with screw or ring nails. Pallets made of EUROBLOCK pallet blocks and wood deck boards are very dimensionally stable and have a high loading capacity.

Four European factories produce enough EUROBLOCK pallet blocks to easily handle the pallet industry’s needs. EUROBLOCK’s production capacity combined with the company’s 26 years of manufacturing experience ensure a steady, reliable supply. EUROBLOCK ships worldwide.

For more information, call EUROBLOCK at 011-49-(0)-8257-81-195, e-mail info@euroblock.com, or visit the Web site at www.euroblock.com.

Hardy-Graham helps pallet manufacturers add value to their products. Add a pallet collar-ring to the pallet and apply the Hardy-Built ® Fastener System for a complete logistics system that can have you involved as a 3PL operator. This logistics system has been proven many times over.

Returnable, reusable bins and containers optimize a logistics system. They increase savings and return on investment without the need to change operations or buy new equipment or tooling.

Hardy-Built Fasteners are designed for all categories of panel materials: composites, wood, plywood, OSB, recycled or virgin plastic, particleboard and metal. Modular bins and containers normally are totally knock-down or manufactured for removing only the end, side or lid.

The Hardy-Built Fastening System is U.S. Government tested and approved with a NSN (National Stock Number) issued for each part.

Whether customers use bins or containers in-house or for shipping domestically or internationally, the Hardy-Built ® System can help you to reduce their costs, increasing your business and enhancing your supplier-customer relationship.

For more information about Hardy-Graham, call (800) 445-4271 or visit the Web site at www.hardy-builtfastener.com.

If your customers have not asked you about plastic pallets, chances are they may soon. Having the answers — or knowing where to find the answers — will put you in a position to best supply their needs.

Since 1969, PDQ Plastics has been working with wood pallet suppliers to do just that. Having a good relationship with a quality plastic pallet manufacturer can enhance the wood pallet supplier’s ability to serve his customers. PDQ Plastics welcomes the development of that kind of relationship.

Customers looking at plastic usually have an application that requires repeated use of the pallet in a closed loop and harsh environmental conditions. Constant movement, repeated washing, and exposure to wide temperature swings are all conditions that can damage and degrade pallets.

When the time comes for a wood pallet supplier to make the decision to represent a plastic pallet manufacturer, he needs to know the pallet will deliver on the expectations that have been built up by the industry. In order to support the price difference between wood and plastic, the plastic pallet must be able to deliver on its promises, and deliver long term.

PDQ Plastics pallets were originally designed for the heaviest industrial use, and they are more than up to meeting the requirements of these kind of demanding applications. PDQ Plastics supplies only the most durable plastic pallets and supports them with a strong commitment to customer service. The company targets only applications for which its durable plastic pallets are best suited.

PDQ Plastics is positioned to build the kind of strong relationships with its customers, including wood pallet suppliers, that keep them loyal for decades.

For more information about PDQ Plastics, call (800) 447-7141, e-mail pdqplast@superlink.net, or visit the Web site at www.pdqplastics.com.

Rehrig Pacific HuskyLite plastic pallets have specific advantages over wood.

For example, they are cleaner and provide a more hygienic environment; unlike wood pallets, they do not encourage moisture absorption and bacterial growth.

Rehrig Pacific HuskyLite plastic pallets also do not use metal fasteners. Metal fasteners of wood pallets can loosen, impairing the performance of the pallet as well as contributing to product damage.

Earlier this year, Rehrig Pacific announced the launching of a family of five UL listed flame retardant pallets, a significant breakthrough and a move that addressed a leading concern of the industry.

“In the past, when a customer wanted to convert to plastic pallets, there were two expensive ways to address the fire issue,” said Trent Overholt, Rehrig new product senior manager. “You could upgrade your sprinklers to NFPA 13 standards, or you could comply with inefficient handling and storage practices. Now, you can buy plastic pallets that are UL listed for equivalency to wood.”

The introduction of the UL listed flame retardant pallets reflects the simple philosophy that has guided Rehrig's product development: make products with advantages.

Rehrig Pacific is a leading manufacturer of returnable plastic crates and plastic pallets for handling and transporting food and beverage products.

For more information, contact Rehrig Pacific (800) 421-6244, fax (323) 269-8506 or visit the Web site at www.rehrigpacific.com.