Pallet costs rarely get much attention until they start eating into the budget. For Fort Worth warehouses moving large volumes every day, waste tends to pile up in familiar ways, like overstocking, choosing the wrong grade for the job, missing chances to recover value from surplus stock, and working with a supplier whose minimum order is bigger than what the operation actually needs. Working with a reliable pallet company can clear up most of these issues without forcing a full process overhaul.
Before making any changes, get an accurate picture of what you actually have. A basic pallet audit covers three things: how many pallets are in circulation, how many are sitting unused, and what condition the unused ones are in.
Most Fort Worth warehouses find more usable pallet inventory on hand than they realized once they count it. That number sets the starting point for how much you need to order next and how much surplus you can recover through the buyback channel.
Ordering pallets on a fixed schedule without tying it to actual consumption is one of the most common sources of pallet over-accumulation. A reorder threshold based on inventory level keeps ordering aligned with actual need.
Track pallet consumption over 60 days to establish a baseline. From there, set a reorder point that accounts for the lead time from your supplier. Our standard turnaround is 48 hours, which means your reorder threshold does not need a large buffer built in.
Using Grade A pallets for every application regardless of load requirements is a cost inefficiency. Grade A is the right call for active shipping, heavy loads, and repeated use. For internal staging, temporary storage, or light-duty movement within the facility, Grade B pallets or used inventory serve the same function at a lower cost.
Sorting your pallet applications by load type and use frequency gives you a clearer picture of where refurbished pallets can substitute without affecting operations. Our post on cost and sustainability of choosing used pallets breaks down that calculation in detail.
Pallets that accumulate without a designated staging area end up scattered across the warehouse floor, in aisles, and in corners where they create safety hazards and make inventory tracking harder. A designated staging area with a defined volume limit forces the process.
When the staging area hits its limit, that is the trigger to initiate a buyback. Our Pallet Buyback Program purchases used 48x40 pallet cores by the truckload. Payment is in cash or applied as credit toward your next order. We also offer drop trailer logistics for large volumes, so the logistics of clearing the surplus do not fall entirely on your team.
If your current supplier requires a minimum order that exceeds your actual need, you are over-ordering by design. The excess goes directly to the surplus pile. Switching to a supplier with no minimum order requirements breaks that cycle.
We do not have minimum orders on any product or service. Fort Worth businesses ordering 30 standard 48x40 pallets get the same process as those ordering 500. Order exactly what you need, when you need it.
Not every application needs a new pallet. For internal staging, receiving areas, and temporary storage, used or refurbished wood pallets deliver the same function at a lower cost per unit. Mixing new and refurbished inventory based on application type can meaningfully reduce procurement spending without affecting shipping quality.
We carry used and refurbished pallets for cost-sensitive buyers. Contact our team to check current inventory based on your volume and size needs.
One of the most avoidable costs in pallet management is discovering that your pallets are not ISPM-15 compliant after a shipment has already been flagged at customs. A customs hold, returned shipment, or destroyed load costs far more than heat-treated pallets would have.
If any portion of your freight moves internationally, confirm that your supplier can produce ISPM-15-certified heat-treated pallets before you need them. We produce heat-treated pallets in standard and custom sizes, available with no minimum order.
The faster a supplier can respond to an order change, a delivery issue, or an urgent request, the less disruption it creates in your operation. That response time depends entirely on who you are calling and what access they have to your order.
We are a member of the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA), hold a BBB A+ rating, and carry a 4.8-star Google rating.
When you call us, you reach the team on the production floor. Reach us at 972-885-7935 or visit palletsoftexas.com/order to get started.
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