Valley Pallet, Inc.

Back to Basics: Hard Knocks Principles for Running a Pallet Management Program Inside a Customer’s DC

lindsey — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:03:58 +0000

Running a pallet management program inside a customer location has been done for years by some pallet logistics and recycling companies. It is a great way to get deep access to a customer and make it hard for a customer to replace you if you provide significant value. But it can also be a training challenge and a customer relationship nightmare having your workers in such close proximity with customers. Employees on the line must know how to serve the customer without providing information or communication that can damage the relationships. You don’t want employees sharing information that could undermine what management has told them. Nor do you want employees sharing gripes with your customer.

Workers’ Compensation Controlling Your Costs

lindsey — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:02:42 +0000

Workers’ compensation insurance, long a burr under the employer’s saddle, is gaining new prominence in the drive to protect profits. Business owners are getting hit with premium increases for the first time after years of virtually level costs for the nation’s oldest social program.

Market Update: Anatomy of a Core Crisis

lindsey — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:57:40 +0000

The recycled pallet industry was just beginning to really hit its stride in the early 90’s. The original Pallet Summit in October 1991 is now more recognized as the “Memphis meeting.” This Memphis meeting gained its notoriety for generating more excitement than any pallet function before or since. It is easy to understand why. It was one of the first meetings to host a large concentration of recyclers at a time when CHEP was just launching in the U.S.

CHEP and IFCO Systems Integration: Brambles Unveils Growth and Business Strategy Plans at Investors Conference

lindsey — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:50:50 +0000

Brambles Ltd., the parent company behind CHEP and IFCO Systems, recently held an investment market briefing designed to inform the public about future operational plans, growth strategies, and integration of the CHEP and IFCO business units. Brambles, a pooling conglomerate, announced intentions to acquire IFCO Systems in November 2010, which caused concern in the pallet industry because this would unite the largest pallet pooler and the largest recycler in the country under one parent company. The deal was approved by government authorities in March 2011 and Brambles took over control of IFCO Systems in April 2011.

How to Stay Safe from OSHA! Recent Industry Fines Offer Lessons on OSHA Enforcement Trends

lindsey — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:49:34 +0000

The kinder, gentler Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) that existed under President George W. Bush has been replaced since 2009 with a much more aggressive enforcement approach under President Barack Obama. And if you haven’t taken safety seriously, you should. It is not only the right thing to do. It is expensive if you ignore it in terms of lost production and potential government fines.

The Problem with Pallets

lindsey — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:49:11 +0000

Food for thought on the misconception of the sustainability of our industry and its efforts. The pallet industry and its members are as focused as ever on environmental stewardship. Just a day spent on the ground floor of production at a pallet plant will demonstrate how active this industry is in being as environmentally responsible as possible.

Shipping pallets, also known as skids, are the sorts of things most people don’t often think about — but once you do, you start seeing them everywhere, especially in places where goods are shipped, stored, and sold. (Trust me, if you have a typical commute through an urban/suburban landscape you’ll probably see dozens on your way home this evening.) Basically, they’re designed to protect loads in shipment and help make them more easily handled, stacked, and moved. The majority of these pallets (an estimated 95 percent) are made of wood.

U.S. Economy Recovering Slowly, Forecast Predicts Trend to Continue

lindsey — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:09:05 +0000

Analysts have spent the beginning of 2012 looking at trends and data from previous years, trying to predict how the economy will perform throughout the rest of this year. Like most industries, the pallet and wood products markets have some bright spots on the horizon, yet many unknowns exist as well.

While there are several ideas on how the specifics of the global economic situation will play out through the rest of the year, most analysts agree that there will be some improvements although these will be limited and slow throughout 2012.

Rising Fuel Prices Increase the Necessity of Fuel Surcharge Programs

lindsey — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:26:30 +0000

With the prospect of record fuel prices looming on the horizon, pallet and lumber companies need to brace for higher fuel prices and continue to find ways to pass along these costs to customers. At the recent National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) annual meeting, a majority of pallet companies reported having fuel surcharge programs in place. Whether or not these companies can pass along all costs or make the surcharges stick – that is another matter

Letter from Ed: Buy Now – Pay Later!

lindsey — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:06:15 +0000

While the principle stated here can find a wide variety of applications in both life and the business world, this particular letter is addressed to the thousands of pallet using companies and those who specify and purchase their pallets. I encourage those in the pallet industry to share this letter with customers and other key decision makers.

Forest Sector Reeling During Economic Downturn

lindsey — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:05:25 +0000

Forest products industries in the United States have reacted to changing market situations as economic conditions have changed since 2007. Mill closures and job losses throughout the forest-products sector have swept the nation, often with significant local impacts. We have consolidated and analyzed data collected by the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), the U.S. Department of Commerce, and other sources to provide an overview of the recent trends and the current state of the forestry and wood-processing sectors of the U.S. economy. Looking forward to an economic recovery, the future will be different for the forest industry sector and for forest management than existed prior to 2007.