To unite companies involved in the wood pallet manufacturing and distribution process, in order to promote its use and its manufacturing, in accordance with standards meeting customer's needs and environmental requiremens.

Who Forms its Membership?

A.M.P.C.Q. members, both actual and potential, are contributors in the field, such as manufacturers or wood pallets and containers, along with the industry's goods and services suppliers.

Who should read this document?

• Wood pallet and container suppliers
• Wood pallet and container manufacturers
• Raw material supplies
• Carriers
• Governmental Authorities
• General Public

What are the Targeted Objectives?

This guide is designed to help buyers choose pallets which will meet the minimum building standards to which A.M.P.C.Q. members have complied with voluntarily.

It is also a helpful tool in the decision process, both for buyers and the industry's manufacturers and suppliers, for selecting materials and determining their tolerances.

Wood Pallets and the Environment

Contrary to a falsely spread opinion, trees are never cut from forests to manufacture pallets. For more than 50 years, the pallet industry has been using a value-added type of wood which would otherwise only be used as fuel or entrants in the pulp and paper industry.

Wood pallets comply with the 4 ''R'' environmental standards.

•Renewable

Wood pallets are made from a renewable raw material.

•Re-usable

Solid and standard wood pallets may be used for over 100 round-trips. We therefore recommend the use of standard and returnable pallets.

•Repairable

Wood pallets can be easily repaired, at a fraction of the purchase cost.

•Recyclable

Wood pallets which cannot be repaired adequately for reuse can be recycled in one of the following methods:

- Pallets are dismantled and all good components may be used to manufacture recycled pallets.

- All non re-usable components may be ground and shavings may be used as fuel, may be composted or treated to be transformed into decorative mulch.