The idea
Take a stack of cores, keep the stringers that are sound, and nail new deck boards across them. The result has uniform tops with a recycled skeleton. Millwood describes this as remanufacturing with recycled and new lumber for greater strength and consistency.
What changes in the stack
Look at the placard: the stringers are older wood, the top boards are paler and uniform. That is the combo look. A rebuilt pallet should have no cracked stringers, because those are the first parts a rebuild replaces.
| Choice | Used | Combo | New |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boards | Mixed ages | New tops, older stringers | All new |
| Consistency | Varies | High | Highest |
| Cost | Lowest | Middle | Highest |
| Good for | Warehouse racks | Repeat production lines | Spec-driven freight |
Who picks combo
- A manufacturer who needs the same pallet height each week for an automated palletiser.
- A distributor who found Grade B too variable but cannot justify new.
- A buyer whose pallet leaves with the product and is not returned.
What to check
Ask what the stringers are: a combo with old, plugged stringers has given up some of its advantage. Ask whether it is heat-treated, because rebuilt stock carries no automatic stamp. The long version of this explanation sits in combo and remanufactured pallets.
For a request, name the size, count and how consistent the height must be, then use the quote form.
Where a combo fits among the grades
A combo sits between a repaired used pallet and a new one. It tends to be uniform in height and board pattern, because the decks are new, yet its stringers are recycled. Buyers choose it when appearance and fit matter more than the last dollar.
Asking for one
- Say it should be a combo, not just "rebuilt".
- State the footprint and the entry type.
- Ask what fraction of the lumber is new.
- Describe the machine, rack or lane that needs uniform height.
A short written specification, followed by a sample stack, is the safest route to a repeat order.
A combo in racking and on conveyors
A conveyor lane tolerates little variation, and a combo's regular deck height is its best selling point there. In racking, a combo's stringers still need to span the beams, so ask what was used for them and whether any show cracks. A good combo is the sort of pallet you stop noticing.
Sources