Steel Pallets – It is a Pity.

It is a pity so MANY alternate pallet suppliers, entrepreneurs and the like, have tried it on their own and failed.  It is a pity they, we, did not unite and combine our efforts for the seen need.  Hundreds of millions of USD have been wasted so thrown away, due to pride, ego, false premises, and failing to learn the lessons of others.  If only they (we) had  combined effort and resources against the odds, the outcome would have been different.

Maybe one day…….

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING

I do not know why some outfit in Russia selects the SPS website to refer others who have no relevance nor empathy for the pallet industry, just the opposite, along with a lot of crap.  They are back again.  But not for long.

Other future contact email address

steelpalletsystems@gmail.com

FAKE EMAILS

FAKE EMAILS WILL NOT BE ANSWERED.  NOTHING WILL BE DOWNLOADED.  NO ATTACHMENTS WILL BE OPENED.  IF GENUINE BE  C L E A R.

SAMPLES TO THE USA 48″ X 40″

TWO SPECIALLY MADE 48 X 40’s SENT AIRFREIGHT TO IDAHO.  NEVER AGAIN.  ONE A FOUR WAY ENTRY AND ONE CONVENTIONAL TWO WAY ENTRY.

ANOTHER LESSON LEARNED.  THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS UNLESS THEY ORDER SOME BULK, LIKE 1,000 OR 1,500 OR 2,000 UNITS.  THEN OVERSIGHT IS WARRANTED AND THEY TAKE DUE ASSET CARE.   ALL WAS AT OUR COST.

TWO EARLY MODEL PALLETS WERE JUST TO PLAY GAMES WITH, NO SUPERVISION, NO SERIOUS INTEREST, NO FORMAL TRIAL.  A WASTE OF TIME AND EFFORT FOR US.

IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT(ED)

YES THEY ARE.  UNLESS CREDITED ELSEWHERE.

FUTURE WEB & EMAIL CONTACT

OR EMAIL TO:   steelpalletsystems@gmail.com

WAITING FOR A BACKER OR TWO

WE GO INTO HIBERNATION AWAITING THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES TO AWAKE.  THE CIRUMSTANCES INCLUDE ADEQUATE FINANCIAL BACKING WHICH WE NEVER HAD.

THEN A NEW START, PERHAPS A NEW NAME, NEW WEBSITE, NEW I.D. NEW SERVICES, AND NEW MODERN FUNCTIONAL AFFORDABLE PRODUCTS,  ALL AT THE RIGHT ECONOMICAL MASS PRODUCTION PRICE.  THIS WAS ALWAYS OUR UNDIVIDED AIM.

SO HIBERNATION IS IT BUT READY TO RISE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCE.

IN THE BETWEEN WE CAN BE FOUND AND COMMUNICATED WITH AT:

https://steelpalletsystems.wordpress.com

PRIORITY REASONS FOR PURCHASING PALLETS

It is quite logical – really.

Notice rental is not part of this.

Source credited below.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GRANTED

IT WAS A STRUGGLE BUT IP (PATENTS) HAVE BEEN GRANTED OR REGISTERED IN TEN COUNTRIES INCLUDING EUROPE (SO OPEN TO THE EU IN TOTAL) WITH OTHER APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED.  COVERAGE WAS IN MAJOR MARKETS ROUND THE WORLD.

ANY THAT LAPSED IN PROGRESS I UNDERSTAND CAN BE SELECTIVELY REVIVED BY THE APPLICANT WITH MISSED PAYMENTS PLUS PENALTY PAYMENTS APPLIED.

IP ON A LIGHTWEIGHT STEEL PALLET???   IT WAS PLANNED.   IT HAPPENED.

SIMPLY PUT – MAJOR MARKET PROTECTION FOR A VALID PRODUCT.

LWSP DESIGN PARAMETERS

LWSP DESIGN PARAMETERS

LWSP MEANS LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL PALLET.

Apart from the natural structural qualities and benefits of the pre-galvanized material the basic essential requirements to go forward on a step by step basis were:

1. 1. Design to satisfy varying load capacities
   2. Design to use minimum amount of steel to reduce cost
   3. Design for simplicity and ease and economy of manufacture
   4. Design to be environmentally friendly and 100% recyclable
   5. Design for replaceable parts – repairability
   6. Design for capability and compatibility to suit major international standards
   7. Design for use in all areas where timber pallets are used
   8. Design for minimum components
   9. Design for various fastening methods
   10. Design for allowing composite additions
   11. Design for ultimate strength matched to best end price
   12. Design for patentability
   13. Design to better all other profile possibilities and improvements
   14. Design for fastening protrusions to be recessed and hidden
   15. Design for minimum surface contact 70%
   16. Design for improving co-efficient of friction
   17. Design for expansion / contraction in width, length and height
   18. Provide for add-ons e.g. a cage system to provide an IBC unit
   19. Design to minimise cavities where contaminates are deposited and held
   20. Design for a price point between hardwood pallet and plastic pallet pricing

THAT STARTED IN 2003.

A SLEEPING VOLCANO

UNLESS…..UNTIL…..

AT $35 WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

AT A SIMILAR BUY PRICE WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER?

WOOD OR LIGHTWEIGHT PRE-GALVANISED STEEL?

42KG VERSUS 26KG.

ON A MASS PRODUCTION VOLUME BASIS OF COURSE.

WHICH IS MORE FINANCIALLY ATTRACTIVE TO LEASE OR RENT?

BOTH CAN BE DAMAGED.

WHICH IS MORE VALUABLE TO RECYCLE?

EXCEPT FOR A BOOK (for now)

The website will close.

Except for a reveal-all book on the history of the lightweight galvanised steel pallet.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  The concept, the hopes, the fun, the tricks, the close calls, the evasions, the behind the scenes, the mistakes, the bad advice, the sweat, the worry, the internal takeover attempt, the duplicity, the nearly did it (plural), intellectual property progress, a death, unseen photos, the lessons learned, non- confidential communications, the laying of a foundation platform, a failed fund raising, and a prognosis for the future, .

The world is a shrinking place.

A book is a permanent record unlike a website that for various reasons can be closed.

A KOREAN COSTING IN USD

IN TODAY’S MONEY THAT IS A 30 USD SELL PRICE.

THIS WAS SOME YEARS AGO.  A KOREAN APPROACH.   IT DID NOT GO AHEAD.

SOME TRICKERY WAS PLAYED OUT.

NOT THE FAULT OF THE INSTITUTION.

BUT THE BELIEF AND CONVICTION WAS THERE.

WE ADVANCED SINCE THEN.

30 USD TODAY?   ON A LEASE OR RENTAL BASIS?????    NOT BAD.   BUT TOO LATE.

WAIT FOR THE BOOK.

OOPS. MISSED INSPECTION AND REPAIR.

ATTITUDE AGAIN.  WHO CARES?  IS IT THERE TO BE KNOCKED AROUND?

ATTITUDE

AND IT IS STILL THERE, MAYBE.

SPRAY ‘EM BLUE, BUT THEY ARE STILL NOT CHEP PALLETS

One of the tricks of the industry.  Spray ’em blue.

BUT THEY ARE STILL NOT CHEP PALLETS.

There was a reason for the underneath plank being recessed.

The business has since gone out of business…..

China lost the chance TEN years ago

In 2008 The Formation and Structure of the China Pallet Pool presentation was put forward at the annual industry meeting of the Professional Pallet Committee of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing hosted by the Asia Pallet System Federation.

And as an independent organisation FOR ALL.

The opportunity was missed.

Too bad.

The industry is still leaping ahead in scope, ability, standardisation and professionalism, with private enterprise fighting for market share just like elsewhere in the West.  This will continue with tough and capable competition using mostly wood, then plastic and some composites, with steel lagging somewhere behind, for now.

SOMEONE TRIES TO COPY

BUT THEY DISAPPEARED (I’M NOT SUPRISED) FROM THE SCENE AFTER USING THEIR PALLET NAME AND PRODUCT WHICH WAS WITHIN CHINA.  HIS NAME IS KNOWN AND THE CONTRACT MANUFACTURER.  I’M SURPRISED, OR MAYBE NOT, THERE WAS NO THOUGHT OF WORKING TOGETHER.  STUPID.

SO JUST ANOTHER CROPPER.  SO WHAT!  I COULD SHOW MORE. 

I CAN SEE A MAJOR FAULT.  CAN YOU? 

THEIR PHOTO IS DELIBERATELY HAZY.  THE WEBSITE IS GONE.

Wood pallets raw material

Pre production raw material ready for component manufacture.

How many?  How long?  What ending?

ONE SMALL TREE? One pallet 1200 x 830

There is nearly ONE metre of thin tree trunk in the blocks alone. 

NOTE THE AGE CIRCLES that the blocks are cut from.

Then TWELVE METRES of plank each about 17mm thick by typical 90mm wide. (actual 100mm and 80mm).  That is approx. 136mm thick by 80mm wide piece of wood.   This must be getting close to ONE SMALL TREE?  Check it.

The pallet is 1200 x 830 X 140 and an unusual size made for a purpose, but not to accommodate what was shrink wrapped upon it.

The efficiency or lack of is evident in the block wood splitting when nails are inserted.  This one may have lasted for two trips only, an import shipment then a regional delivery.    That is it.  After a final shipment it considered trash, no recall, no charge, not wanted anymore, keep it.  This is a market pooling companies do not see any opportunity in due to complexities and costs.  No wonder so many pallets are utilised by innovative persons in building seats, sheds, fences and the like.  No wonder there is thankfully a major recycling industry in the USA.

No wonder there IS a pooling industry or the environmental damage effects would accumulate and be much worse.

BUT if one million new wood pallets are manufactured for one pooling company every year operating in one country and region does that not indicate a problem?  Does it not mean a similar though variable amount is wasted?

But a thin cold rolled material steel pallet with a zinc coating has value.  It can be sold, reprocessed at a fraction of the energy it cost to initially make, and reformed using automated equipment, again and again and again and again.  YES.  There is no denial.

About Aluminum (Aluminium)

The following is from the year 2000, so only 18 years old, and by an aluminum (aluminium) pallet supplier, still around today, maybe with a name change.  The unit price in 2018 is typical USD 260 for small quantity.    Here is one supplier who maintained a place, their niche.  Good.  This was before lightweight galvanised steel pallets were considered viable at a fraction of the cost, so at the time outside the equation.  Note the wood pallet lifespan of two years.  I have other verification for this however there are many variables.  The days of wood pallets in volume, though they have their place, are limited.  Did you read the news today?  More on this to come with images and some analytical detail.