US Pallets to Reach 1.3 Billion Units in 2015

US demand for pallets is forecast to rise 6.1 percent per year to 1.3 billion units in 2015, valued at $15 billion.  This pace will represent a dramatic turnaround from the 2005-2010 period, when demand fell to fewer than one billion pallets in response to a decline in manufacturing output between 2007 and 2009 and a partial rebound in 2010.  Through 2015, demand gains will be driven by an expected advance in manufacturing from the low 2010 base. These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in US Pallets, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

Manufacturing will continue to account for the largest share of pallet demand, totaling 75 percent of the market in 2015.  Demand will be supported by continued recognition of the suitability of pallets as an inexpensive way of shipping and hauling goods while avoiding product damage.  Providers of warehousing services will purchase new pallets and expand their pallet refurbishing operations to add to their pallet stocks and more effectively serve existing customers. Pallet stock growth will be driven by the increase in manufacturing activity as the US economy rebounds from the 2007-2009 recession.  Growth in shipping activity will spur demand for pallets to transport and store goods.  Plastic pallets will account for a larger share of the US pallet stock in 2015.

Pallets made from wood -- primarily lumber -- will continue to account for nearly 95 percent of the US market.  Demand will be driven by the new pallet market, as manufacturers’ shipments rebound and more pallets are needed to ship and haul products.  However, refurbished wood pallets, which accounted for 65 percent of the wood pallet market in 2010, will continue to lead the market in 2015. 

Plastic pallet demand is projected to advance at a double-digit pace through 2015, rising to 34.5 million units.  Demand will be driven by consumer interest in the use of plastic pallets because of their performance qualities.  They are resistant to contamination caused by bacteria and other pathogens, and can be cleaned easily.  Plastic pallets are also seen as being environmentally friendly, as they can be recycled once they have reached the end of their life span.

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.