Small Spaces, Big Innovation

Why TriEnda’s Small Format suite is a must have material handling solution for tight spaces.

TriEnda specializes in all kinds of material handling solutions, making everything from cargo protection systems to battery packs, and now small format delivery materials. When our salespeople noticed a need for a small format pallet and delivery transportation device, we began working with our design engineers to create the Delivery Cart and Small Format Pallet.

TriEnda’s Delivery Cart is thermoformed with twin sheet construction to stand up to heavy delivery while maintaining a low profile and lightweight design. This makes it ideal for small areas and difficult deliveries like tight doorways, coolers, freezers, hallways, and aisles. “We are really trying to improve on existing products. Smaller stores are becoming a trend and we needed platforms to help our customers perform these types of deliveries.” TriEnda food & beverage industry sales rep, Brian Estes said.

Additional design features like the perimeter lip and Tru-Grip™ anti-skid surface keeps products stable and prevents slippage. Along with these product protection features; the Delivery Cart includes a uniquely designed, self-storing handle that conveniently folds into the deck when not in use. This means that the small spaces where these would be used were kept in mind for storage purposes as well.

The Delivery Cart is accompanied by a Small Format Pallet which has also been specifically designed for tight spaces. This pallet is made with TriEnda’s single sheet thermoforming process and provides the strength of a TriEnda pallet while still incorporating light weight design. With a narrow deck, perimeter lip, and our Tru-Grip™ anti-skid surface, the Small Format Pallet is perfect for reducing product damage and allowing quick transportation in small spaces. “As supply chains continue to evolve we are focused on finding ways we can help our customers improve delivery times, retain drivers and increase overall productivity.  Our small format suite of products has helped change how people view their business from end to end.  We want to be the leader in reducing transportation dollars,” TriEnda grocery industry new product development representative, Jake Heinecke said.
With a 30×42 inch footprint, this Small Format Pallet works well in industries like grocery, retail, food and beverage, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and many more. Pairing the Delivery Cart and Small Format Pallet together in these industries creates a safe, light weight, and quick solution to your small space material handling needs.
Whether you’re working with a space that doesn’t have a loading dock, a store with aisles too tight to get a normal pallet through, or a retail environment where you have a tight storage space, this small format duo from TriEnda is the solution to all of your small-space problems. Reach out to our sales team today to see how the Delivery Cart and Small Format Pallet could work for you!

A Look at the SmartDitch® Product Line

SmartDitch

Learn more about the flexible HDPE ditch lining system made by Krueger Family Industries.

SmartDitch® is one of KFI’s lesser known products that acts as a ditch lining system and is the smarter approach to water management.

With a variety of products and uses, the SmartDitch® product line is key to controlling drainage, flow control, erosion control, irrigation, on-site dewatering and much more.

A look into SmartDitch® must start with the forming process. Like many of our other products, SmartDitch® is made of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) material which is heated and formed through the thermoforming process. To an outsider, this product is essentially a trench lining, however the possibilities of the SmartDitch® product are endless. While this not only helps with water management, it also helps prevent erosion and sustain fragile environments from run-off.

This line of versatile channel lining solutions includes a trapezoidal ditch liner, a semi-circular ditch liner, and MegaDitch system, fittings for each liner system, and a maintenance pack.

  • Trapezoidal Ditch Liner– this trapezoidal system is a virtually leak-free channel lining system which has been designed to control and direct the flow of water and other fluids. The corrugated design helps regulate the flow of liquid from flat to steep grades while still being light weight and easy to handle and install.

  • Semi-Circular Ditch Liner– This system is often used for both permanent and temporary applications as an above ground lining solution. The corrugated material helps keep flow rates consistent and predictable while still providing excellent tensile strength and durability. At just 64 lbs per section, this lining system is easy to transport and install as well.

  • MegaDitch System– This is the largest scale water control solution in the SmartDitch® system. This was developed to fulfill larger scale liquid flow needs by using an expandable HDPE channel. Engineered with sidewalls to fit different slopes and grades, and base and wall section connected for maximum expandability, the MegaDitch system fits both flat and V-bottom channels. The great thing about MegaDitch is the flexibility. This system has virtually unlimited expansion capabilities and is ideal for uneven terrain, or steep slopes.
  • Fittings and Maintenance Packs– In addition to the SmartDitch® systems, fittings and maintenance packs are also important to each water flow system. The fittings are specially engineered to broaden the range of applications such as drainage, erosion and sediment control, land development, irrigation, industrial site containment systems and temporary flow diversions. The fittings provide the design flexibly needed for both large and small-scale projects. Maintenance packs are the simple, cost effective solution to permanently repair or maintain water control ditches.

The SmartDitch® system has been used in residential areas, mining facilities, landfills, industrial spaces, agricultural zones, and by the Department of Transportation near roads, highways, and construction areas. Used for everything from removing water from neighborhoods, to redirecting hazardous waste run-off, SmartDitch® helps create safe and environmentally friendly spaces.

For a smarter way to manage water, SmartDitch® is the leak-free channel lining system that is specially engineered to control and direct the flow of water or critical fluids. Interested in learning more? Contact our sales team today!

How to Choose the Right Pallet for Your Organization

pallet cart with boxes

Learn more about TriEnda’s distribution series of pallets to find the best solution for your organization.

With a multitude of shipping pallet options in the market, choosing the right pallet for your organization’s needs can be difficult. Luckily our distribution series of pallets is easy to understand and has the durable material handling solutions you’ve been looking for.  

Our Strong, Durable and Lightweight Shipping Pallet

TriEnda’s lightest weight pallet is the Economy. This strong, durable pallet may be lightweight, but it holds up to big projects. With a static rating of 1,500 pounds, this petite pallet packs a punch. If your organization is looking for a no-frills, cost efficient shipping solution, the Economy is the way to go.

small format pallet

Versatile Industrial Shipping Pallets

The next level of shipping pallets leads us to the Industrial. With two size options, lipped edge capabilities, and a high-profile version that fits with competitor models, this is the most versatile option in TriEnda’s arsenal. The regular Industrial pallet comes in both a 40 x 48-inch and 42 x 48-inch designs. Additionally, the 40 x 48-inch pallet has the unique capability of being created with lipped edges to make sure product remains securely in place during transport. No matter the model, these durable pallets support a static capacity of 2,500 pounds and will hold up to whatever you need to load them with.

Automotive Pallet

Thermoformed Heavy Duty Pallets

At the height of our pallet pyramid you will find the Heavy Duty pallet. This super star pallet has, quite literally, been engineered for performance. Used best in rugged, everyday industries like grocery, food service, and many more, this workhorse pallet sports ergonomic handholes and oval leg designs that are compatible with most nestable pallets in the market. The thermoformed manufacturing process makes this pallet durable in colder temperatures like freezer settings, which makes it more forgiving than similar injection molded products. With a reputation of outstanding performance in some of the largest grocer chains in the nation like Kroger and UNFI, we’re positive that the Heavy Duty pallet is ready for your organization.

Distribution Series Pallet

TruGrip™ Technology

Something all these pallets have in common is their TruGrip™ surface. This is an antiskid material unlike any other. With the highest coefficient of friction on the market today, it not only reduces loss of product but also helps keep your organization safe. The TruGrip™ material prevents slippage of boxes as well as slippage on fork tines or floors. The Distribution Series also uses the impact absorbing TriMax™ design to further protect your product and personnel. This means you can rest easy knowing your product and your warehouse staff are safe.  

TruGrip™ isn’t the only reason these pallets stand out though. With options like grommets, coditherm, stripe identification, custom logos or labels, and drain holes, this series of pallets truly has something for any need your business has. Made with recycled HDPE material, this thermoformed series also focuses on sustainability. Between TriEnda’s pallet buy back program, the long life of our plastic pallets, and the 100% reusable nature of our materials, these pallets are environmentally responsible and sustainable.

Our focus here at TriEnda is always on the customer, that’s why we have produced this series of pallets with our customers in mind. From the lightweight Economy and diverse Industrial, to the durable Heavy Duty, we have the right fit for every shipping need.

Didn’t see what you are looking for here? Contact us, we look forward to working with you to create custom solutions for any project! Stay tuned for a new product in the distribution series of pallets launching soon!

What to Look for in a Plastic Pallet Manufacturer

2 workers talking with hardhats on

Discover which traits are key when choosing a plastic pallet producer.

If you’re in the market for a new plastic pallet manufacturer or plastic pallet distributor, you will likely have questions about selecting the best one for your business. You want to be sure whatever company you partner with has quality products and is responsive to your questions and needs.

In search of a plastic pallet manufacturer or distributor, it’s important to keep these things in mind:

  • Commitment to quality
  • Custom solution capabilities
  • Focus on safety
  • Environmental responsibility
  • Dedicated team

When your product’s safety and security are on the line, it’s critical to ensure that you are choosing the right manufacturer for your shipping and storage needs. Read on to learn more about the qualities to look for when looking for a new plastic pallet manufacturer or distributor.

Commitment to quality

The products you’re shipping and storing are valuable, so you’ll want to protect them with a high-quality material handling solution. At TriEnda, we are dedicated to delivering the highest standard of products. Our plastic pallets are designed with durability in mind which means that the material is impact and weather-resistant, while also being sanitary and easy to clean. Our custom resin and vertical integration approach to manufacturing means you’ll receive the highest quality product possible, every time.

Custom solution capabilities

Every business’ needs are unique, so the products your plastic pallet manufacturer offers to you should be too. Our pallets are engineered and constructed for use in various industries including automotive, retail, and grocery. Need further customization? TriEnda is home to one of the largest in-house engineering teams in the industry. Our team of engineers are here to help design and create a plastic pallet solution according to your requirements. From load types and configurations to tailored designs for identification and tracking technologies, learn more about the custom design inputs we use to ensure the material handling solution you choose will meet your needs.

Focus on safety

From their manufacturing floor to your business, safety should be a top priority for the plastic pallet distributor you select. Look for a company that has ISO 9001 certification and is continuously focused on improving the safety of their manufacturing process. At TriEnda, we’re ISO 9001:2015 certified and are always looking out for our team’s safety. Our plastic pallets are also designed with your team’s safety in mind, built to nest and stack safely and, in some cases, prevent slippage with our TruGrip ™ technology. We have also developed solutions that include ergonomic handholes to help increase efficiency and safety for the end user.

Environmental responsibility

When it comes to plastic packaging solutions, look for a manufacturer who understands their responsibility to the environment, and strives to develop eco-friendly procedures and best practices. We are proud to be part of the Reusable Packaging Association and offer a pallet buy-back program to reuse and recycle old pallets. All the scrap and trim material that accumulate in our facility is recycled for reuse in production. Every day, half of the plastic sheeting we create is composed of reused materials from our in-house recycling efforts.

Dedicated team

Your plastic pallet manufacturer should be prepared to answer your questions and suggest solutions that meet your organization’s needs. At TriEnda, our team is ready to work with you on any sort of custom plastic pallet or material handling solution that best fit your product and business. Our team is passionate about the work they do, and we’d love to work with you.

Are you ready to discover why we are the right plastic pallet manufacturer and plastic pallet distributor for you? Contact our sales team online or give us a call today at 800.356.8150.

4 Things You Need to Know About Machine Tooling Repair

plastic pallet

Discover how our in-house machine tooling repair service works.

As a leading plastic pallet manufacturer, our in-house machine tooling repair service helps us maintain and repair your tools to ensure production-ready status. Look into what this service does, how it all works, who can benefit from it, and the advantages you can expect from machine tooling repair.

Our machine tooling services

Regularly updated and well-maintained tools are necessary to create custom material handling solutions. By using the latest technology, we can manipulate tooling in-house to meet your ever-changing needs.

We proudly offer the following machine tooling services:

• Machining: Shape tool into specified design
• Welding: Fuse tool for long-lasting results
• Fabrication: Custom tooling solutions
• Upgrades: Improve the current tool
• Modifications/Maintenance: Implement changes that improve tool performance
• Machine Tooling Repair: Mend any damage in the tool

We can form the tool’s gauge/material thickness anywhere from .060 inches to .450 inches, depending on your request. Contact us to learn more about the tooling services we provide.

Our machine tooling repair process

When you choose to take advantage of our in-house machine tooling repair services, you’ll find an unmatched consistency in what we do. We follow the same step-by-step process every time:

1. We start by going over the specifications of the tool.
2. We take note of the requested changes and ask for the CAD data and blueprints or drawings.
3. Once we have all the required information, we create a quote.
4. Upon your approval of the quote, we begin to generate parts for your review.
5. You have the option to provide a purchase order up-front or make the payment after the sample parts meet your satisfaction.

Our process is easy, accurate, and streamlined, so you can focus on what you do best.

Who can benefit from our machine tooling service?

If you already have tooling on-site at our facilities, we can easily make any adjustments required to meet your specifications. However, if you don’t currently have tooling on-site at our facilities, you can still utilize our services. Our team of engineers have developed a reverse engineering process that allows us to re-create any tool. Once the tool is re-created, we then keep it on hand which allows us to implement any future changes to welding, fabrication, upgrades, or modifications based on your needs.

What are the advantages of machine tooling repair?

When you move forward with our machine tooling service, you will also enjoy the following advantages:

• Easily upgrade tools to a new level
• Efficient repair of molds
• Maintenance and modification as needed
• On-site welding and fabrication
• Convenient access to our “one-stop-shop” for all product needs

We take great pride in our work, and it shows. At every step of the process, you can rest comfortably knowing that our talented teams will use the latest technologies and advancements to prepare your tooling for production. We are committed to quality and lead the way in the material handling industry and custom products.

As your needs continually shift, so does our product and service offering. You can count on us to provide the products and services you need to keep your supply chain running smoothly. Contact our sales team online or call 800.356.8150 today to learn more about how our machine tooling repair service can benefit your company.

Sustainable Material Handling Solutions and Tips

plastic pallet up close

Introduce greener practices with these sustainability-focused ideas for your facility.

reusable plastic crate

Every person and organization on our planet has a certain level of responsibility to implement the most sustainable practices and solutions to help preserve our natural resources. For us, this starts with engineering and manufacturing reusable plastic pallets and crates. By optimizing them for durability, they can last for up to 50 trips. When our products have reached the end of their useful life, we recycle them responsibly and reuse 100% of the material to make new products. Exploring the switch to sustainable plastic pallets and crates, as well as other sustainability-focused ideas for a greener operation can help your organization and planet in a myriad of ways including:
• Swap expendable packaging with reusable plastic pallets and crates
• Prioritize energy efficiency
• Reduce fuel consumption
• Consider waste management alternatives

Swap expendable packaging with reusable plastic pallets and crates

If you’re looking for ways to reduce expendable packaging, switching to reusable plastic pallets and crates is the first step. Doing so can help keep billions of tons of waste out of the already-overloaded recycling centers and landfills. We also offer a plastic pallet recycling program where we buy back your pallets and issue a credit toward a future order. Beyond environmental responsibility, plenty of additional benefits come with making the switch to sustainable material handling solutions, including:
• Increased durability and longer life
• Reduced long-term costs
• Stackable pallets and crates allow for more containers on each load
• Nestable solutions require less storage square footage in your facility
• Better ergonomics reduce the risk of worker injury

While reusable plastic pallets and crates have a higher initial cost, they last much longer than wooden pallets. They are highly durable and can handle more turns than traditional shipping solutions. When you don’t need to order pallets or crates as often, your long-term savings directly benefits your bottom line.

Prioritize energy efficiency

In addition to using sustainable material handling solutions, you can also implement other green practices in your facility, such as prioritizing energy efficiency. When saving energy is a priority, simple changes can go a long way. Try these energy-saving tips at your facility:
• Use LED and natural lighting instead of traditional light sources
• Leave only critical equipment running when your operation is closed
• Power equipment back on in phases to avoid a drastic start-up energy spike
• Clean and maintain equipment regularly
• Optimize air compressors
• Audit HVAC equipment for efficiency
• Consider alternative energy sources
• Provide energy-efficiency training for employees

Reduce fuel consumption

Depending on the industry, fuel consumption can be an extraordinary drain on economic and environmental resources. If you’re concerned about optimizing fuel efficiency, reducing cost, and the environmental impact, this article contains 50 ways to reduce your fuel spend. From reducing idling times to ‘greening’ your fleet, there are many ways to lower fuel costs and their effect on the environment.

Consider waste management alternatives

Everyone has heard of “reduce, reuse, recycle” practices for home. However, many organizations can benefit from implementing these waste management practices at their facilities as well. When it comes to your material handling solutions, here are a few suggestions for implementing waste management alternatives at work:
• Reduce waste from expendable packaging by switching to reusable packaging
• Reuse material handling solutions, such as plastic pallets and crates, as many times as possible
• Recycle plastic pallets and crates when they’ve reached the end of their useful life

Beyond material handling solutions, you can look for ways to adopt the reduce-reuse-recycle strategy in other areas of your business, like recycling in your facilities.

We are the leading sustainable material handling solutions manufacturer in the industry. Contact our sales team online or call 800.356.8150 today to learn more about our reusable plastic pallets and crates that are eligible for our sustainable plastic pallet recycling program.

Dynamic Capacity in Packaging Solutions: A Make or Break Situation

tough pallet

With a multitude of shipping solutions in the market today choosing the right pallet for your product is imperative. Factors that go into such a decision include load capability, material, recyclable nature, and of course dynamic capacity.

DYNAMIC LOAD CAPACITY

Dynamic load capacity is the weight that a pallet can hold while in motion. Unlike it’s sister measurement, static capacity which is the weight a pallet can hold while still, this is difficult to test for because of the virtually unlimited amount of variables that one must take into account when testing for dynamic capacity. Variables that hinder the testing of this measurement can be the temperature of a space, what the product on the pallet is, how the product is stacked, what material is used for the wrap on the pallet, what kind of device is being used to move the pallet, the speed at which the pallet is being moved, and many more.

Due to these infinite variables that change from warehouse to warehouse, calculating the dynamic load capacity of any given pallet so that it is both factual and accurate for a multitude of customers is impossible. For that reason, there are no standards in the industry for calculating this measurement. Here at TriEnda we test in house as well as referring to third party testing facilities to assure that our measurements are accurate, unfortunately some organizations put out dynamic capacity ratings for their products that are not representative of the pallet’s actual load capacity.

CALCULATING THE DYNAMIC LOAD CAPACITY

Organizations that promise a dynamic load capacity for customers across the board are often not taking the multitude of variables discussed above into account. For instance, if a pallet supplier were to assure a customer that their pallet could handle 2,000 pounds while in motion that seems straight forward. However, with a deeper delve into their testing procedures you find that they have tested with sandbags, stacked in a brick formation, and moved with a forklift. You are moving a liquid product on this pallet, stacked in a column formation, and yours is moved on a conveyer belt. This means that the dynamic capacity they assured you the pallet could withstand isn’t accurate for your uses.

This doesn’t mean that a specific pallet couldn’t work for you though, if you are interested in the actual dynamic capacity for a pallet you already own or use look into the organization’s testing procedures. An organization that tests for dynamic capacity should have documented testing procedures that you can easily access to compare your product, movement method, warehouse, etc. with the ones that they used in the testing process. If the organization doesn’t have those materials on hand, use caution going forward and investigate a pallet manufacturer/supplier that is ready to discuss dynamic capacity for your specific uses.

While the dynamic capacity of our pallets is acceptable for the vast majority of uses, TriEnda has a team of engineers that are always ready for a challenge. Custom solutions are some of our favorite projects and we take pride in our work. This means that our engineering team can do a finite element analysis on any pallet to be sure that it will hold up to your uses. With both in house testing by our engineering and quality personnel and third-party testing facilities to verify our findings, TriEnda commits to supplying each customer with the product that works best for them.

In a market with so many options and so much on the line, knowing the dynamic capacity of your pallet is crucial. Whether your next step is verifying your pallet supplier’s testing procedures, looking into a new manufacturer, or working with our team here at TriEnda to create a custom packaging solution, knowing your pallet’s features can be the difference between a make or break situation.  

 

Ways to Reduce Expendable Packaging

plastic pallet up close

Many companies struggle with the economic and environmental impacts of one- or limited-time use expendable packaging. As such, automotive and other industries have been shifting to reusable plastic packaging. If you’re looking for ways to reduce expendable packaging, switching to reusable material handling solutions is the first place to start. Keep reading to learn more.

Continue reading

How to Sanitize Plastic Pallets and Crates

Table showing commonly used sanitizers

We know the safety and protection of your employees and customers is a top priority. One way to help keep everyone safe is to use proper cleaning techniques for your material handling solutions. In this post, we’ll cover helpful guidelines on how to sanitize plastic pallets and crates.

Continue reading