A composite pallet is made of concrete fill material that is enclosed in a frame structure. The frame structure includes a first frame member and a second frame member. The first frame member has a first frame member cavity that contains the concrete fill material. The first frame member has a tenon, and the second frame member has a mortice in which the tenon of the first frame member is received. The tenon of the first frame member defines a fill gap through which the fill material is able to flow during manufacturing. The frame structure is made of sheet metal that has seams located inside the frame structure.

A pallet includes a top deck and a bottom deck, and spaced apart support blocks coupled between the top and bottom decks and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. Each support block includes a mid-section having spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, an upper tower extending from the upper surface of the mid-section, and a lower tower extending from the lower surface. The upper towers are inserted into corresponding upper tower openings in the top deck, and the lower towers are inserted into corresponding lower tower openings in the bottom deck.

A pallet includes a top deck and a bottom deck, and spaced apart support blocks coupled between the top and bottom decks and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. Each support block includes a mid-section having spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, an upper tower extending from the upper surface of the mid-section, and a lower tower extending from the lower surface. The upper towers are inserted into corresponding upper tower openings in the top deck, and the lower towers are inserted into corresponding lower tower openings in the bottom deck.

The present invention provides a block protector assembly including a protector contoured to conform to a block of pallet where the pallet includes a plurality of blocks, and an attachment mechanism coupled to the protector, where the attachment mechanism is configured to secure the protector to the block of the pallet, where the protector includes a rigid material. The present invention also provides a method including determining a contour of a block of a pallet, fabricating a protector to follow the contour of the block, and securing the protector to the block. In addition, the present invention provides a protector configured to prevent damage to a block of a pallet, where the protector includes a first side contoured to a first side of the block, a second side contoured to a second side of the block, and a third side contoured to a third side of the block.

The present invention provides a block protector assembly including a protector contoured to conform to a block of pallet where the pallet includes a plurality of blocks, and an attachment mechanism coupled to the protector, where the attachment mechanism is configured to secure the protector to the block of the pallet, where the protector includes a rigid material. The present invention also provides a method including determining a contour of a block of a pallet, fabricating a protector to follow the contour of the block, and securing the protector to the block. In addition, the present invention provides a protector configured to prevent damage to a block of a pallet, where the protector includes a first side contoured to a first side of the block, a second side contoured to a second side of the block, and a third side contoured to a third side of the block.

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.