ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN 2010

Alternative Materials (Plastic, Corrugated, etc.)

Pallet Buying Guide Provides Insight into Non-Wood Pallet Markets - Comprehensive guide to various pallet providers including plastic pallets, corrugated pallets and metal pallet options. (11/19/2010)

Asset Management

Pallet and Container Theft: Opportunity and Threat for Both Recyclers and Users - Rick LeBlanc focuses on the growing concern about the theft of proprietary pallets and what both recyclers and users can do to solve the problem. (6/1/2010)

CPC Relies on Inspectors, Technology to Run Its Canadian Pallet Pool - The CPC balances cooperation and self interest of its members using a data-centric approach combined with third party certification. (11/19/2010)

Associations

Reusable Packaging Association Launches New Web Site - Reusables trade organizations puts on a new face, lauches new marketing effort and Web site to boost exposure to logistics customers. (9/1/2010)

Canadian Pallet Association Selects Bill Eggertson at New Executive General Manager - Canadian pallet trade group taps new leadership with environmental credentials. (11/18/2010)

Design/Engineering

Pallet Pool User Education Series: Quality Should Be Job #1 -- Top Quality Concerns to Spot in Conducting Pallet Audits - Andrew Mosqueda discusses top quality concerns to look for when conducting a pallet audit, looking specifically at the differences between white wood and rental markets. (9/1/2010)

Which Pallet Is Stronger? - Measuring True Pallet Performance for Racking Situations - iGPS pallet deflection concerns arise at ConAgra, points to larger debate about pallet strength and peformance. (9/1/2010)

Environmental Issues

Deca-bromine to Be Phased Out - Chemical manufacturers reach agreement with EPA to phase out deca-bromine, a controversial flame retardant used in iGPS pallets. (2/12/2010)

Walmart Sustainability Index, Packaging Scorecard Affect Pallet & Packaging Industries - Walmart pushes sustainable packaging standards as part of its purchasing matrix, calls for green solutions from suppliers. (5/4/2010)

States Pass Deca Bromine Laws, Congress to Hold Hearings - Controversial fire retardant banned in plastic pallets in Maine as U.S. Congress schedules hearing for overall deca bromine ban in most commercial products. (5/4/2010)

Equipment,Products & Services

Unipal International Corporation, Ltd. Co. Handles Unipal Worldwide - High quality corrugated pallet to be marketed globally by new Unipal International Corp. (9/1/2010)

Food Safety/Hygiene

TYLENOL® Recall Spurs Unfounded Market Fears - Drug maker claims recall tied to chemical used to treat foreign pallets, causes unfounded pallet concern for U.S. packaging users. (2/12/2010)

Cross Contamination Risk on Pallets: Real Threat or Media Hype? - Looking at pallet contamination risks for food and drug products, is this really a problem or just a contrived crisis? (7/6/2010)

Global Shipping

U.S. Government to End ISPM 15 Exemption for Canadian Imports - Both the U.S. and Canadian governments to eliminate the ISPM 15 exemption for solid wood packaging passing across the border by 2012. (12/11/2010)

Government

States Consider Pallet Bans - Overview of state and federal pallet bans indicate increased concern over toxicity, environmental and food safety issues. (6/1/2010)

Industry-Consumer Goods

Offshore Production Remains Real Culprit: Recalls Continue to Raise Pallet Contamination Questions - Drug recalls raise pallet contamination concerns for some foreign shipments and lead to misinformation in the marketplace. (12/11/2010)

Boboli Selects PECO as Pallet Rental Supplier - Frozen pastry producer cites quality and superior process controls as reasons for selecting PECO as its rental pallet provider. (12/11/2010)

Industry-Retail Grocery

CHEP USA Makes Indelible Mark on Industry, Demonstrates Path for Future Transformation - As CHEP marks its 20th anniversary in the United States, explore what made the rental giant such a success story. Learn what it takes to institute systemic change and lessons for the future of the U.S. grocery supply chain. (9/1/2010)

CHEP USA Timeline - Some of the most significant changes in the U.S. grocery supply chain in the last 20 years have involved CHEP. See how this rental giant grew and changed with its customers. (9/1/2010)

The Costco Effect on Grocery Logistics - Analyzing the impact of Costco's pending block pallet requirement on the 48x40 whitewood stringer market (11/19/2010)

International Market

Australia Revises Bark Rules for Solid Wood Packaging - Australia, known for its strict bark restrictions, is harmonizing its rules to work with revised ISPM-15 regulations. (7/6/2010)

International Standards

Pallet Stamp ID Theft: Are Your Pallets Really ISPM-15 Compliant? - Feds prosecute pallet user for falsifying marks, private lawsuit in a separate case highlights dangers of pallet stamp ID theft. (3/26/2010)

International Pallet Footprints: Analysis of Latest Developments, Trends - Pallet user guru, Rick LeBlanc, reports on the latest developments on international pallet sizes and standardization efforts around the globe. (12/11/2010)

Management Issues

Logistics Trends Impacting Transport Packaging - Pallet logistics guru Rick LeBlanc covers some of the top trends in logistics and ways that these changes are impacting pallets and transport packaging. (10/1/2010)

Pallet Treatment

Looking for an Official Solution: Industry Confusion, Concern over Moldy Pallets - There is a growing fear in the market of regulatory intrusion. But it doesn’t appear that the FDA is looking at regulating mold treatments for pallets, according to one source. (7/6/2010)

Sustainability/Ecology

Which Pallet is Truly Greener for the Environment - New life cycle analysis by CHEP underscores environmental challenges of plastic pallets. Imprecise data, varying priorities and assumptions cloud sustainability issue for transport packaging. (4/4/2010)

Third Party Management/Rental

Experts Study the Economic Feasibility of an Industry Cooperative Pallet Pool in the U.S. - Study by Penn State confirms the profit potential for new, industry cooperative block pool called the Pallet Industry Management System (PIMS). (4/4/2010)

Blockbuster Deal for the U.S. Wooden Pallet Industry - Exploring the details and potential impacts of the pending acquisition of IFCO Systems by Brambles, the parent company of CHEP. (11/19/2010)

Transportation

Former IFCO Managers Plead Guilty to Illegal Alien Conspiracy - Two former IFCO managers plead guilty to illegal alien conspiracy; others face trial. (4/4/2010)

Changes in Trucking: Overview of New Regulations, Legislation and Issues Affecting The U.S. Trucking Industry - Changes in Trucking: Overview of New Regulations, Legislation and Issues Affecting The U.S. Trucking Industry (6/1/2010)

Review of the Annual State of Logistics Report - Annual logistics study identifies reduced transportation capacity as major cause for concern despite reduced shipments. (7/6/2010)

Unit Load

Pallet Quality and Automation – White Wood Works Great for 14 Degrees - Grocery distribtion expert, Rick LeBlanc, highlights Australian wine bottler that efficiently uses white wood pallets in a highly automated facility. (4/4/2010)