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2 6 Pallet C e nt ral • No vem be r-D e cem be r 2 0 26 Automation is spreading quickly and raising performance demands. Companies are building equipment to read and sort pallets. Chargeback disputes over vague grade language have become a recurring and expensive problem for pallet manufacturers. If recyclers don't define these grades, someone else will. Recyclers also have something working in their favor: ey represent the largest pallet pool in the world. By leading the conversation now, they gain real leverage and the ability to set the tone. What The Task Force Found e task force collected more than 65 specifications from recyclers of every size and region across the United States. A detailed analysis showed three things: where companies already agree, where they are fragmented, and where definitions are missing entirely. e most telling finding was that terminology varied widely while quality expectations were remarkably consistent. From there, the task force decided to work top-down, defining the highest grade first so that every grade below it has a benchmark. e resulting draft doesn't invent a standard but rather clearly defines an agreement that already existed. What's In The Draft e working draft defines a top-tier recycled pallet grade. It is the highest classification for a recycled 48×40 notched three-stringer pallet, meaning a pallet in near-original condition with minimal damage and limited, high- quality repairs. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE • no broken stringers and no companion stringer repairs • no broken or missing deck boards • 5.5-inch lead boards • gaps between top deck boards of no more than 4 inches • overall length and width within ±¼ inch • a clean pallet, free of contamination e draft is also realistic concerning the meaning of recycling. For a pallet, at least 50% of its parts must be within RECYCLING CONT. dimensional tolerances, just as is the case with new pallets. A load that has been delivered cannot be rejected solely on the grounds that up to 5% of its pallets do not meet the nondimensional criteria. Intentionally, these specifications are still open for discussion. Most conversations so far have focused on the tolerances for total height, stringer height, and deck board thickness, as well as the limits concerning chipbacks. Recyclers still have work ahead to find the sweet spot for each. A Baseline, Not A Ceiling A common definition doesn't replace customer specifications or eliminate room for customization. Recyclers will keep building to whatever their customers require, and price to reflect that customization. What the definition does provide is a shared starting point, so recyclers and their customers use the same terms in the same way. As Brad Gething, Vice President of Science & Technology at Woodpack Global, points out, "A shared definition does not restrict the range of specifications that recyclers can provide; instead it gives both them and their customers a common starting point. e role of the Standards Committee is to ensure that the final specification is

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