SEPTEMBER 2019
NWPCA Releases Pallet Design System™ 6.0
Ground-Breaking Unit Load Design Tool Minimizes Damage, Maximizes Profit
ALEXANDRIA VA, September 25, 2019 – The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) announces the release of PDS 6.0, the most advanced software tool in the world that considers the interactions between a flexible wood pallet and corrugated boxes. The tool uses world-leading science and modeling that allows pallet designers to prevent cargo damage, while optimizing cost and material efficiency.
“Unit Load for Boxes takes technology normally associated with space flight, race cars, and jet engines and uses it to gain insight into wooden pallet and unit load design,” commented Kristen DeLack,
PE, PDS structural engineer. “We’re excited to take all this know-how and put it into the hands of wooden pallet manufacturers,” added Brent McClendon, NWPCA President and CEO.
Jordan Piland, NWPCA’s Board Chair said, “Expect to see more from the PDS development team for 2020. PDS 6.0 Unit Load for Boxes is just the first installment of system-level unit load design and analysis tools in PDS; drums, plastic pails, and sheet goods will follow.” Piland added, “NWPCA and The Pallet Foundation investments, totaling nearly $1.5 million over the next two years, advance our industry and benefit each of our companies, making PDS the international language for pallet design.”
For more information on Pallet Design System™ 6.0, read the detailed product release.
Pallet Foundation News
The Pallet Foundation has been very active over the last couple of years investing in tools and research to answer our industry’s most critical questions, and advancing the science and understanding of how wood packaging interacts with unit loads.
There are "good news" results to share regarding landfill avoidance landfill avoidance, the economic impact of the wood pallet industry and its carbon footprint impact.
Tools available at the Nature's Packaging website include:
- Wood is Environmentally-Friendly
- Landfill Avoidance: Wood Waste as a
Resource
- North American Forests are
Sustainable
- Wood Packaging is Recyclable
Research is also underway regarding wood packaging and unit loads.