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The Art of the Pallet |
added Aug 8th, 2011 |
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There’s no real record of when the first pallet appeared. It’s estimated that the first hand-operated low-lift forks appeared near the end of the 19th century, so it seems likely that the fork-friendly pallet wasn’t far behind. This first patent, for what was then called a Lift Truck Platform, was issued to Howard Hallowell in 1924. He also holds the patent for the hex key. There should probably be a statue somewhere for that guy. Regardless, by the time World War II required all kinds of heavy lifting, the modern pallet had become commonplace. Today, it’s possible to find every manner of pallet, from rough wood to high-tech composites, from heavy steel to ultra-light paper products. What remains constant and consistent is the simplicity of the design and its value to anyone charged with moving substantial loads between points A and B. |
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