Pallet program for a manufacturing plant

A plant both receives and ships on pallets, which makes it one of the few sites that can reuse inbound pallets for outbound freight. Start by matching inbound sizes to what you ship, then arrange take-back with suppliers whose pallets you can't use. Count purchases in scope 3 category 1 and discards in category 5.

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 by repallet.org editors. Editorial policy

Where the pallets come from

Raw materials and components inbound; finished goods outbound on purchased or pooled pallets.

Inbound often one-way; outbound depends on customers' requirements.

Storage and handling

Inspect inbound pallets on receipt and sort reusable ones by size for the shipping department.

Program checklist

List inbound pallet sizes and conditions by supplier.
Reuse sound inbound pallets that match your outbound footprint.
Ask suppliers of odd sizes to take their pallets back on the next delivery.
Send the rest to a reuse company; grind only broken wood.
Report purchases (category 1) and discards (category 5) separately.

What to track

Inbound pallets reused for outbound
New pallets purchased per month
Pallets discarded by fate

Model it

The Pallet Fate Report opens with a starting mix for a manufacturer. Replace it with your own counts; the figures are an illustration, not a benchmark.

Model this in the Pallet Fate Report

Get your pallets picked up for reuse

If you have whitewood pallets leaving a business, you can ask for a reuse pickup. Pooled pallets (CHEP, PECO, iGPS) go back to their owner instead; the form points you to their return route.