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Hardwood Pallets Vs. Pine Pallets: Which One Is Right for Your Business?
ARTICLE UPDATED NOVEMBER 30, 2023 When comparing hardwood pallets to pine platforms, the typical dilemma revolves around the trade-off between durability and affordability. Hardwood offers superior longevity, while softwoods like pine are inexpensive, often leading to the use of lightweight stringer pallets that are discarded after a single use at the end of the supply…
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How Improving Supply Chain Visibility Via Technology Keeps You Competitive
Thirty years ago, before ecommerce existed, if you decided to buy something you saw advertised on television, you’d quickly write down the number to call, give your information to the operators on the phone, and four to six weeks later–after you’d forgotten all about it–the product you’d ordered would arrive. Today, to get the same…
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Tips and Tricks for Managing Pallet Inventory
ARTICLE UPDATED ON FEBRUARY 1, 2024 Though often overlooked, pallets are silent powerhouses underpinning the vast U.S. supply chain. Each year, millions of new pallets are produced to replace those lost or damaged in transit. There are currently more than 1.8 billion pallets constantly in motion across the country. This massive flow presents a significant challenge for…
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Why Your Aftermarket Logistics Strategy Is So Important
Aftermarket logistics is a phrase subject to some confusion. Auto parts dominate many people’s understanding of the term aftermarket, and while brake, supercharger, and spoiler kits can be a part of aftermarket logistics, an aftermarket logistics strategy is about more than automobile parts. The term is actually nearly synonymous with the reverse supply chain. Aftermarket…
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How Long Is a Plastic Pallet’s Lifespan?
Because of its strength, durability, and resistance to liquids, a plastic pallet’s lifespan can be more than double that of its wood counterpart–up to ten years, depending on how it’s maintained, the weight it carries, and how often it’s used, among other factors. Often, the superior longevity of plastic pallets is what drives supply chain…
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FDA Pallet Requirements: Finding a Pallet for Sanitary Transportation of Food
Recently, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has expanded the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ensuring food safety to encompass all parts of the food supply chain, including transportation. Along with this legislation has come a raft of new FDA requirements, many of which are still being ironed out. The FSMA…
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DSCSA Requirements for Manufacturers and What They Might Mean for You
In February of 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its first warning letter under the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) to McKesson Corporation for failing to identify, quarantine, and investigate suspect pharmaceuticals. Under the DSCSA, pharmaceutical manufacturers and others in the pharma supply chain must have systems in place to track drugs…
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Preventing Foreign Material Contamination in Foods
Recently, the risk of contamination in the food supply chain was underlined when Tyson Foods recalled more than 36,000 pounds of chicken nuggets due to potential rubber contamination. While no one was hurt and only a few people reported finding small pieces of blue rubber in the packages of nuggets, the recall still cost Tyson…