Pallet Foundation

About the Pallet Foundation

To unify the wood packaging industry, the Pallet Foundation delivers the latest science and technology that allow our businesses to succeed. We work with partners and invest heavily in projects to improve the safety of our industry and our environment.

Formed in 1996, the Pallet Foundation has also consistently supported testing, data collection and analysis for the Pallet Design System™ and other related research projects. Read more about the Pallet Foundation below.

Research Projects

Trustees of The Pallet Foundation

Research

We identify critical data gaps and trends by funding research whose answers have the potential to enhance the economic, environmental, and safety benefits of our industry. Wood pallets are the most recovered, refurbished, and recycled packaging product on the planet, and more than 173,000 people and their families are a part of the community.

Pallet Design System™ (PDS)

PDS software is the international standard of pallet design. Packaging professionals can create and explore design options and get instant, accurate engineering analyses with the software. We invest heavily to stay on top of relevant trends that advance safety in the supply chain and encourage the reuse and conservation of materials.

Nature’s Packaging®

We focus on delivering tools and resources for the supply chain to assess better and to understand their carbon footprint, the importance, and the connection of wood packaging to forest health. Backed by sound science, Nature’s Packaging® gives our industry the tools to take a more proactive role in telling our story and celebrating wood as a sustainable choice.

Educational Outreach

We believe that education is critical to the next generation of packaging designers to understand the environmental attributes of wood and the tools available to build a better, safer pallet. We provide packaging schools with the Pallet Design System™, and we support the work of students who seek innovative solutions in design and unit load.

Safety

Our workers and our industry are essential in delivering our food, household, medical and business supplies worldwide. We are committed to safety throughout the supply chain. We support research and the technology to ensure that goods are moved around the world, quickly and safely, on nearly 2 billion pallets every day.

Research and Grants

The Pallet Foundation supports projects that will contribute to the improvement of the wood packaging industry. Our goal is to invest in sound research relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in one of these areas: market information, environmental impact, scientific advancements, and others that help advance the sector.

To learn more about obtaining funding for a research project, click here to apply for a grant.