ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN 2009

3rd Party Mgmt/Logistics

CHEP Uses Technology to Meet Supply Chain Challenges - Pooler institutes quality control program, Six Sigma principles to meet changing customer demands (2/1/2009)

Pallet Rental News Roundup - The two largest pallet rental companies announced major U.S. business wins. Pepsi brands and General Mills tap iGPS for major pallet rental program. (4/27/2009)

Logistics Costs Drop, Shippers Face Long-Term Transportation Challenges - Review of the Annual State of Logistics Report reveals trends, points to long-term capacity concerns. (8/7/2009)

Asset Management

PACK EXPO 2009: Strong Attendance Boosts Enthusiasm for Economic Recovery - Reusable Packaging Association Continues Outreach to Users - Rick LeBlanc provides a pallet user’s perspective on the latest developments coming from PACK EXPO, including a focus on reusable packaging opportunities. (12/1/2009)

Case Studies

Tools to Optimize Lift Truck Fleet Can Net Cost Savings, Efficiency - Optimizing your forklift fleet: a business case for thriving in an economic downturn (7/1/2009)

Environmental Issues

Markets in Transition: Environmental Claims About Pallets More Than Material - Rick discusses the importance of pallet management in making any pallet a truly green product. (2/1/2009)

How Safe Is Deca Bromine? - FDA statement raises toxicity concerns for some plastic pallets (7/1/2009)

Surveys Indicates Wood Pallets Recycling Up, Landfill Deposits Down - Leading industry researchers analyize wood pallet recycling trends from 1992 to 2006. (8/7/2009)

Global Shipping

LPR Upgrades Depot Infrastructure, Extends Pallet Pool Coverage in Europe - European pallet pooling service LPR emphasizes service at local level, uses team approach to respond to different countries and market conditions. (8/7/2009)

Industry Standards

German Court Upholds EPAL Trademark - Court prohibits sale of copycat EPAL pallets. Raises questions about maintaining standards in a cost conscious environment. (5/1/2009)

International Standards

MH1-2005 Pallet Standard Now Available At No Cost from MHIA - Pallet standard helps clear up market confusion. Download a free copy from the MHIA Web site. (9/2/2009)

Management

IFCO Reaches Record Immigration Settlement - National pallet recycler IFCO Systems looks to get legal issues behind it with $21.7 million settlement over immigration violations. (1/1/2009)

Millwood Relocated Facility - Millwood moves Nashville facility to give greater 3PL service options. (1/1/2009)

Red, White & Blue: A Cost Analysis of Rental vs. White Wood Pallets - Former CHEP insider discuss pros and cons of pallet rental compared to white wood pallets. (7/1/2009)

Pallet User Education Series: Five Key Elements to Superior Customer Service - Customer service professional describes the five critical elements to superior customer service. (12/1/2009)

New Product Reviews

Rehrig Pacific Offers Nestable Plastic Pallet - Features beveled leading edges that allow easier entry by forklift into a stack of nested pallets. (2/1/2009)

Sumpraxis Offers Innovative Corrugated Pallet Design in U.S. - Triangular design of the SolidPak pallet provides strength and lightweight features. (2/6/2009)

New Products, Services, Etc.

X-Mold Develops Product for Preventing Mold Develpment on Wood Pallets - New spray-on coating works well to elimiate mold problems. (4/1/2009)

Pallets

Alternative Materials Pallet Market Continues to Grow - A survey of the leading suppliers of alternative material pallets and transport packaging serving the North American market. (11/1/2009)

Phytosanitary/Pest Treatment

Official ISPM-15 Changes Announced - International leaders adopt new rules for ISPM-15 including a bark requirement for compliant wood packaging. (5/1/2009)

APHIS Announces Intention to Pursue National Wood Packaging Rule - Concerned about the spread of invasive species, federal officials are investigating options for a national treatment requirement for domestic transit of solid wood packaging materials. (9/2/2009)

Ending the Mosaic of Local Laws: Federal Officials Explore Pest Rule Options - Federal officials seek input on domestic wood packaging rule. Review of what a new rule could mean for the industry and your business. (10/5/2009)

Public Comments Identify Key Concerns for National Wood Packaging Rule - Overview of public testimony given in various hearings about the development of a national treatment and certification rule for wood packaging material. (12/1/2009)

Purchasing

Pallet User Education Series: Negotiating the Pitfalls of Rental Pallet Contracts - A former pallet pool customer representative offers insight on avoiding major issues when bargaining a rental pallet agreement. This article is a must-read for companies looking at pallet rental. (9/2/2009)

Safety/OSHA

Fire Marshals Clarify Wood Pallet Concerns - Use of plastic composites in some wood pallets leads to fire hazard concerns; fire marshals confirm wood pallets as baseline for warehouse sprinkler standards. (4/1/2009)

Fire Retardant Ignites Safety Debate - Dispute over Deca-bromine use starts war-of-words over pallets, toxicity and public health. (4/24/2009)

Software

Floor Loading Versus Palletization for Sea Transit: New Tool Developed at Virginia Tech Provides Optimum Solutions - Is it best to floor load or palletize boxes shipped in ocean freight containers? Researchers develop software tool to optimize transport packaging decisions for global shipping environments. (10/5/2009)

Sustainability/Ecology

iGPS Plays Green Card - iGPS launches tree planting initiative, hypes deforestation claim. (1/1/2009)

Pallet Buyers Need to Be Aware of “Voodoo” Environmental Claims - PALNET COO warns about trickery in environmental marketing of pallets and transport packaging. (7/1/2009)

Third Party Management/Logistics

Markets in Transition: Near Sourcing: Logistics Changes Have Implications for Pallet Demand - Changes in logistics trends may bring more manufacturing closer to home as multinational companies eye near sourcing strategy. (11/1/2009)

Third Party Management/Rental

The New Face of Guerrilla Marketing - Chaille discusses the ongoing war of words between iGPS and the wood pallet industry, especially CHEP. (5/1/2009)

Redefining the Pallet Business: PALNET Offers National Interface, Local Service to Major Accounts - Michael Smith, COO of PALNET, talks about professionalism in the pallet industry and what his company is doing to change the way customers think about pallets. (6/22/2009)

Tracking (RFID, bar codes, etc.)

Image ID Pioneers Unique Packaging Tracking Software - Find out how a Japanese pallet pool uses innovative bar code tracking technology to manage its large pool of wooden pallets. (10/5/2009)

Trends

Key Pallet Industry Trends - From changes in the lumber market to the possiblity of a national pallet treatment requirement, the future could offer some new challenges for both pallet supplier and user. (7/1/2009)

Unit Load Design

The Key to Supply Chain Savings The Key to Supply Chain Savings: Are Your Customers Shipping the Best Load® on Every Trip? - Do you know the real secret to minimizing costs in unit loads. Dr. Marshall (Mark) White explores the keys to supply chain savings that most shippers don’t know and how it can benefit the pallet industry. He unveils a new software tool to help make the dream of system-based design a reality. (11/1/2009)