COLUMBUS, Ohio – Worthington Steelpac, a Worthington Industries (NYSE: WOR) company, announced today it plans to begin mass producing the Steelpac Distribution Pallet in March. It’s the first light weight, flame-resistant steel pallet designed to meet Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) capacity and compatibility standards.
The stronger, more durable steel pallet provides material handling managers a way to reduce shipping costs per trip compared to wood or plastic pallets. Made of the most recycled material on Earth, the Worthington Steelpac distribution pallet prevents rust, is flame retardant, does not attract or harbor insects and has superior racking strength compared to traditional pallets.
Worthington Steelpac began operations in 2001 and has concentrated on the customized pallet and racking business. The Steelpac Distribution Pallet will extend the company’s line of products and create new markets.
“We feel our tests in big box retail and consumer packaged goods environments have prepared us well to offer this durable, cost-efficient product to material handling managers nationwide,” said Jon Holthaus, sales manager for Worthington Steelpac. “In the final 12 months of this testing, our steel distribution pallet had less than a five percent damage rate, which is five times less than the average damage rate of a traditional wood block style pallet.”
Additional testing at Worthington Cylinders, a subsidiary of Worthington Industries, reinforced the product’s durability claim, producing a zero percent damage rate after two years and 52 turns.
The Steelpac pallet, made of galvanized steel, measures 48" x 40" x 5.5", and has four-way fork lift and pallet jack access. It features a fully-welded assembly without fasteners that gives it more than 3,500 pounds of unsupported racking capacity and 40,000 pounds of static load. The Steelpac Distribution Pallet weighs 63 lbs., 10 lbs lighter than comparable wood pallets. The pallet’s target market includes material handling managers in the pharmaceutical, food manufacturing, chemical, lubricant and printing industries.
There are approximately 1.3 billion pallets currently in United States circulation with another 500 million replacements entering the market each year.
“The value proposition of the Steelpac Distribution Pallet is its durability, allowing the number of replacement pallets introduced a year to be reduced, saving the environment and saving organizations thousands of dollars,” Holthaus said.
The company’s Pennsylvania-based facility currently has the capacity to produce large volumes of pallets. However, expansion plans for additional facilities are also being considered.
More detailed, multimedia product information and benefits can be found at www.SteelpacPallets.com.
