Go Green Opprocon, Inc. can help you streamline your search for
ways to convert scrap plastics into pallets by steering you toward the best
value for your scrap material and by providing the savvy to help you select
the optimal size and type of pallet for your end use.
09/19/08 - The Chicken or the Egg?
Have you ever
wondered why over-the-road trailers are made to the present dimensions?
Are trailers built to accommodate typical pallet sizes, or are pallets
fabricated to fit the inside dimensions of trailers? Historical evidence
strongly suggests that we can trace the answer all the way back to
ancient Roman roads which were built to accommodate the then-standard 4’
8-1/2” axle width of the chariots of the day.
Here is a brief time line: Roman road design, based
upon the ruts made by those standardized chariot wheels, was adopted by
Britain, width and all. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution,
Britain in turn configured the layout of their railroad tracks according
to the width of their existing roads originally based on those early
chariot wheels.America followed the British lead, adapting
the design of their rail cars to fit on the adopted rail bed parameters.
At
a specific point in time, wood pallets began to be used in rail cars to
maximize loading efficiencies and were, of course, sized to fit the
railcars whose design was based on those Roman roads of long ago. Rail
shipments preceded motor freight shipping. Thus, the standard for
today’s pallet sizing was set. It only follows that the sizing of
present-day warehousing equipment (racking, material handling, etc.) is
a result of this sequence.
The real question is this: How many of the goods
produced today are sized to properly fit on standard pallet dimensions?
It is conceivable that many of the products that we use in today’s world
are the direct result of how the ancient Romans designed their chariots
to permit two people to stand shoulder-to-shoulder while driving a team
of horses and fending off various attackers.History is all around us - we only need to
do a little digging to see how much of our everyday lives was determined
centuries ago!
08/26/08 - Pallet
Tracking & Retrieval
What determines the value of
an asset? Is worth the product of the actual ownership, or is the real
value determined by how the asset is used (how it serves the purpose for
which it is intended)?
Individuals responsible for material handling may not be aware that
plastic pallets do not have to be purchased to deliver their ultimate
value. Plastic pallets (plus other plastic shipping/storage devices) may
be leased, or, as with certain wooden pallet arrangements, may be
trip-leased, thus avoiding a cash outlay that may be used for more
immediate needs.
Plastic pallet and other storage/transport device leases are arranged
for you by Opprocon via a host of 3rd party leasing companies. Our
service also includes trip-leasing through nationally established
tracking companies who guarantee that a specific quantity of units is
always at your dock to cover daily/weekly outbound shipping needs. In
both cases, either straight leasing, or trip-leasing, the pallets and
other devices bear your company logo and are thereby "dedicated" to you.
This assures you that units are identified as your property, thereby
discouraging unauthorized use. Straight 3rd party leasing is recommended
only for those who use their own outbound/inbound dedicated fleet.
Trip-leasing is designed for those who ship via common-carrier. Pallets
& other units are returned to the shipper's dock via the trip-leasing
company trucks.
Historically, a major concern in the conversion from wood to plastic has
been the inability to have plastic pallets and other units returned to
the owner. Obviously, the absence of "investment protection" causes many
to shy away from the transition process. The above services are
available to resolve this issue.
For more information on the above process, please contact Opprocon, Inc.
at www.opprocon.com.
We will be pleased to bring you up to speed on this and other
developments.
8/6/08 - Go Green; Save
the Planet; Reduce De-forestation!
Current estimates indicate
that the average number of wood pallets in daily circulation in the U.
S. is approximately 1.5 billion. The life-cycle of wood pallets, before
they are either in need of repair (requiring more wood), or are
discarded, is considerably less than the life expectancy of their
plastic counterparts. The 1.5 billion wood pallets represent
approximately 24 billion board feet of lumber (1), or enough lumber to
build about 8 million 1000 square foot homes. The time is NOW to give
serious consideration to the how, what, where and why of wood pallets.
There are many alternatives that are totally recyclable including
plastic pallets, corrugated pallets and fiber slip sheets. Give Opprocon
(www.opprocon.com)
the opportunity to help you find ways to solve our current global
crisis. Remember, trees absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. The
more we de-forest, the more we face increased runaway greenhouse gases,
and consequent global warming.
(1) based on approx. 16 board feet of lumber to construct one 4840 GMA
wood pallet (5/8" boards)
7/1/08 -
How can converting from wood to plastic help you?
· Reduce global WARMING? ·
Save TREES?
· "GREEN" the planet?
· Create a Profit Center?
Believe it or not, the simple process of switching from pallets & skids
made from wood can actually achieve all of the above goals. Even though
the initial cost of plastic pallets is often higher than expenditures
for the wooden variety, the total cost of acquisition (life cycle cost)
clearly demonstrates that plastic wins the day. Also, there are
potential "hidden" cost savings (cost avoidances) that result from a
closer inspection of the waste stream from which a variety of plastics
that are used for producing pallets are extracted.
4/11/08 - Go Green
Opprocon, Inc. can help you streamline your search for ways to convert
scrap plastics into pallets by steering you toward the best value for
your scrap material and by providing the savvy to help you select the
optimal size and type of pallet for your end use.
Let us help you "go GREEN", and in the process
reduce waste-haul and landfill costs by keeping plastics out of the
waste stream.
Call Richard Kamphaus @ 877-243-0089 or email at
richardkamphaus@fuse.net
