The four numbers
| Number | Example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 48 x 40 | Racks and conveyors are built for it |
| Grade | Grade B | Sets the price and the use |
| Count | 500 a load | Defines the load and the trip |
| Frequency | Weekly | Turns a purchase into a supply |
What a standing order buys you
A buyer who needs the same stock every week does not want to renegotiate every Monday. A written standing order sets the grade and size once. When one week's supply runs short, the buyer knows what the substitute will be. PHS points out that pallets should pack tightly inside vans and containers to avoid shipping air, so the count per trailer is part of the plan.
Who orders this way
- Manufacturers in the Freeport Center and Business Depot Ogden.
- Third-party logistics providers in the Northwest Quadrant.
- Food plants that want the same clean, dry Grade A every week.
Buying and selling in the same breath
Many docks buy a size and sell back what they cannot reuse. A dock manager can describe both on one request, then see recurring dock surplus for the sell side.
Ask for a price
Give the four numbers and your ZIP.
Describing a trailer load
A trailer holds a different number of pallets depending on its length, the footprint and whether stacks are set one or two high. Rather than assume a count, write down the number you actually want delivered and let a reply say whether it matches a load.
- Say whether partial loads are acceptable.
- Say whether the dock has a leveller and how long a trailer can stay.
- Say whether the receiving shift is a fixed window.
- Say who will unload and count.
Counting on delivery protects both sides, so agree it in writing before the first load.
Before the first delivery
A first delivery goes smoothly when the receiving end is ready. Clear the dock, tell the shift supervisor, confirm who signs the delivery and decide where the stack will stand. A driver who finds a blocked door loses time that someone pays for.
- Clear the receiving door.
- Tell the shift lead.
- Know who signs.
- Mark the stacking spot.
Container arithmetic
As a reference point, the ISO 6780 standard puts 20 pallets of the 40 x 48 inch footprint in a 40-foot container, with 3.7 percent of the floor unused. A truckload order of used 48 x 40 pallets is a count against a trailer you know, not a container, but the same footprint arithmetic applies.