Shipping pallets 10 that may be constructed, at least in part, from structural members 100 that are largely fabricated from paper and paper based materials are disclosed. One or more of the structural members 100 may include a wrapper 60 secured in tension to a core 20. The core 20 may include one or more laminated fiberboard sheets 40. Because of the use of paper and paper based materials, the one or more aspects of shipping pallets 10 in accordance with the present inventions may be recycled.

A manufacturing assembly line for producing an article including a first spray coating station for applying a plastic spray coating to an existing wooden pallet, a second grinding or pulverizing station for reducing the coated article into finely ground particles of a uniform dimension, and a third heating station for converting the mixture into a molten or flowable state. The assembly line further includes a fourth extruder station for forcing the mixture at pressure through an extruder die aperture of a selected cross sectional configured extruder, and so that the mixture is reformed as an elongated article and a fifth cutting station for sectioning the extruded article into selected lengths for subsequent attachment or securernent into a desired configuration.

A pallet-free bulk bin container comprises an open-ended bulk bin having a frame base at one end. A pair of channel inserts is configured to be engaged with the frame base to form pallet runners. A pair of center-filler supports is configured to enclose one end of the open-ended bulk bin. The bulk bin container may be shipped in a collapsed or knocked-down state and easily assembled into a larger container for use and being disassembled for re-use.

A method of assembling a pallet using a machine includes folding a first portion of a pallet support column to define a vertical support structure. The method further includes folding a second portion of the pallet support column to engage the vertical support structure. The method further includes gluing at least a portion of the second portion to the first portion. The method further includes coupling the pallet support column to at least one of a bottom member or a top member of the pallet.

A method of assembling a pallet using a machine includes folding a first portion of a pallet support column to define a vertical support structure. The method further includes folding a second portion of the pallet support column to engage the vertical support structure. The method further includes gluing at least a portion of the second portion to the first portion. The method further includes coupling the pallet support column to at least one of a bottom member or a top member of the pallet.

A carrier platform, particularly a pallet for supporting a household appliance, has multiple parallel and spaced-apart support structures and one or more upper plate parts that extend in a depth direction and connect the support structures to each other. The support structures have a couple of spaced-apart planar lower plate parts parallel to the ground. Reinforcement support parts are disposed in a space between the lower plate parts of the support structures and separated from each other at the mutual end sides in a width direction of the carrier platform. The support structures have an intermediate support part disposed in the space between the lower plate parts and between two of the reinforcement support parts.