2001 MANSFIELD NEWS-JOURNAL CHALLENGE
Develop method by which the News Journal can profitably dispose of wooden shipping pallets or at least reduce the cost of the disposal.Background:
Develop method by which the News Journal can profitably dispose of wooden shipping pallets or at least reduce the cost of the disposal.Background:
The News Journal receives about 100 wooden pallets each week that carry advertising inserts for the newspaper. These pallets vary in size, but are usually 42 x 48 inches, 40 x 40 inches, or 36 x 36 inches. These pallets (or skids) are comprised of various hardwoods. Some are also a pressed board product, comprised of scrap lumber. About 70 percent of the pallets are capable of being used for other purposes, or can be repaired for re-use in other ways. In, fact we do use a limited amount ourselves for shipping of in-house commercial printing jobs to other facilities. The remaining 30 percent are good for just scrap.
We receive the pallets of products anytime Monday through Friday between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. The products (inserts, etc.) are stored in a warehouse until they are needed for production. The then empty pallets are stored on the north side of the packaging department in a fenced area. We have an unwritten policy that allows anyone needing a pallet(s) to take them away for free. At other times, when the pallets build up, we pay a tractor trailer rig $250.00 to haul about 250 pallets at a time to a local recycling center.
Find a method or venue by which we can sell the skids which can be reused by others or at least reduce the cost of disposal.
If you are selected to give an oral presentation for this problem, the presentation will be held at Mansfield News-Journal headquarters in Mansfield, OH. You will be given directions and notified of the exact date and time later.