The wooden pallet industry is on the verge of a new era with the development of The pointGUARD plastic pallet protector.  Invented and patented by United Pallet Services, Inc. (UPSI) and two other experts in the plastic industry, its innovative design is unlike anything currently available. This easy to install, one-piece recycled plastic shield was created to reduce costly pallet repair by defending a pallet from forklift damage at high impact areas.  It has been in a development and testing phase since 2011, but is now ready to make its commercial debut at ProMAT 2013 in Chicago, IL.  Wooden pallets, the staple of the industry for decades are considered by many to be sustainable, economical, and easy to source.  The downside however, is they are prone to considerable damage from forklifts.  Once a pallet is damaged it can cause product damage during transit as well.  Plastic pallets offer better protection to these areas, but are far more expensive.  The pointGUARD plastic pallet protector utilizes the greatest benefits of both, the durability of plastic but with a price point more towards the cost of a wood pallet.  “It’s best suited for closed loop or captive pallet environments,” says Wayne Randall, president of United Pallet Services, Inc. He goes on to say that “The pointGUARD was developed in response to a problem that plagued one our largest customers…product damage. This agricultural company in California loses $10-$15 million per year in product loss caused by damaged pallets.”  He believes strongly that “a company that is concerned with the bottom line will see immediate financial results with less pallet repair, less product damage, and a great reduction in wood chips or debris breaking away from a wood pallet all the while using a hybrid wood/plastic sustainable product.”

UPSI contracted with the Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design at Virginia Tech University to facilitate two types of tests.  The first was the ASTM test that established the durability of pallets with pointGUARD protection.  The results revealed that lead board durability increased by 100% and durability against strapping damage increased by 100% as well.  The most impressive result was the block durability, which increased by a whopping 400%.  The second round of testing was a Life Cycle Test, which measured the real world impact of pallets using The pointGUARD in a warehouse environment.  These pallets outlasted those that were unprotected by 5-times (unprotected pallets lasted 11.3 cycles before failure and protected pallets lasted an astonishing 58.9 cycles).  With this evidence in hand, UPSI is marketing The pointGUARD to companies that are concerned with their pallet repair costs as well as the product damage costs that are the result of pallet damage.  Callen Cochran, Business Development Manager, says “any company that views their wooden pallets as an asset and wants to reduce the repair and replacement costs of their wooden pallet float will find The PointGUARD very enticing.”  He goes on to say that “based on the test results, an ROI of over 200% is attainable. The price point is very, very attractive compared to an all plastic pallet. This has the potential to revolutionize the wooden pallet industry.” 

The pointGUARD is currently being tested by many companies.  One of these, a logistics company in the San Francisco Bay area, recently put a plywood top block version with The pointGUARD on both ends of the pallet to the test.  The general manager indicated to UPSI that it almost eliminated their pallet damage.  The company recently put in an order for more pointGUARD pallets. UPSI is showcasing the LX40S and LX40B at ProMAT 2013, their next generation design for a 40” opening on a stringer and block pallet.  Darrell Roberson, Vice President of Sales says “we have spent a considerable amount of time engineering a way to make the pointGUARD lighter and stronger and we feel that we have accomplished just that with these two new versions.”  They are now accepting orders for the LX40 series, although if a company has a non-standard pallet, UPSI can design and mold a pointGUARD to any size opening from 30” – 56”.