There are numerous misconceptions and myths about wood pallets. Today's volatile market is advancing the confusion. Food, pharmaceutical, pet, and other vital industries are coping with unprecedented pallet price fluctuations and supply challenges while meeting soaring demands for their critical products. Add sustainability and environmental goals to the messy mix, and it's an enormously complicated situation. Madison County Wood Products is wholly devoted to keeping essential supply chains moving when external forces bring chaos. Our sincerest hope is that we are equipping manufacturers to keep moving goods in a Pandemic-Era by dispelling today’s wood pallet myths and misconceptions.
Myth #1: Wood Pallet & Lumber Costs Positively Correlate
No one should tolerate superfluous mark-ups. For this reason, Madison County Wood Products is committed to ensuring price transparency. We want our customers to make informed decisions so they can be confident in their commitments to purchase from us.
Recent increases in pallet prices reflect ongoing raw material and supply chain disruptions. Notwithstanding the current retreat in kiln-dried pine prices for the housing market, a severe inventory backlog of the hardwood species that are used in pallet manufacturing has kept pallet prices high. Nation-wide labor shortages, coupled with inflationary pressure on transportation, fuel, and nail costs, will sustain those elevated prices over the short term.
Ultimately, the best way to ensure that you get the highest-quality wood pallet at the fairest market value is to turn to a reliable provider. Madison County Wood Products operates in a vertically integrated manner. By producing most of our lumber, we're able to offer customers a positive purchasing experience. Our procurement process positions us to take care of those who are consistently in our queues.
Myth #2: Switching to Plastic is an Economical Solution
With hardwood lumber prices still elevated, shifting from wood to plastic pallets may seem like an affordable alternative, but wood is still the economically superior choice. Plastic pallets bear lower weight tolerances than wood, and their susceptibility to damage makes them costly assets to maintain. Even amid inflation, wooden pallets are about three times less expensive than plastic.
Myth #3 Yellow Pine is Sub-Standard
Hardwood is often touted as the stronger, more superior wood; however, it's a misnomer to think it's always the best choice. Depending on the specifications of what you want to put on a pallet, where it's going, and how you'll store it, yellow pine may be a comparative option. At Madison County Wood Products, we utilize the Pallet Design System to engineer smart designs. Using this software ensures optimum structural performance for all types of pallet wood.
It's hard to predict where pallet prices will go but separating fact from fiction may help navigate a marketplace in flux. To learn more about cost-controlling strategies or get more expert advice, contact Madison County Wood Products! We are standing by, and we want to help!
Would you like to read more about the must-haves when choosing a pallet? Check out these other articles:
Four Must-Haves When Choosing a Pallet Manufacturer
About the Author:
Bryan Kesting is the VP of Sales for Madison County Wood Products – he’s also a 2nd generation Co-Owner of the family-run business. He helps set the company direction and is in continual pursuit of industry-changing opportunities. Bryan is proud to serve MCWP’s clients and the entire team, from the loggers to the drivers delivering the finished goods. Everything he does supports the company’s drive to be an incredibly vertically operated wood products company by managing acreage, harvesting, logging, milling, and manufacturing while focusing on zero waste through the use of the whole log.
Madison County Wood Products Inc. is a vertically integrated company specializing in land and timber management, logging, sawmilling, and pallet manufacturing. We take a zero-waste approach with a focus on environmental impact while providing customers with quality products, competitive prices, and on-time deliveries.