PalletTrader Surpasses One Million Pallet Transactions, Expands Offering Launch of PalletTrader+
Online collaboration platform reaches one million transaction milestone in less than eight months of operation. PalletTrader+ launched as new “managed service” to complement, expand capabilities of original “do it yourself” ecommerce site
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – JUNE 21, 2023 – PalletTrader, which launched last October as a new online platform designed and built exclusively for the sourcing, buying and selling of pallets, has expanded its product offering with the launch of PalletTrader+. The launch coincides with the platform this month surpassing one million pallet transactions in its first eight months of operation.
PalletTrader+ is a “managed service” offering, combining an industry-standard online collaboration platform and digital transaction processing, with dedicated resources and expertise to manage pallet sourcing, acquisition and supply on behalf of a business.
The offering responds to demand from enterprise customers who typically are operating more complex supply chains with multiple manufacturing and distribution sites needing consistent pallet supply, and want a more comprehensive “outsourced” solution, noted John Vaccaro, president of Bettaway Supply Chain Services, which built and operates PalletTrader as an independent, neutral ecommerce site.
“This is the natural evolution of a marketplace,” explained Vaccaro. “PalletTrader+ is for those large enterprises who want to take advantage of dynamic market procurement opportunities but don’t want to staff or manage it,” he explained. “They want a hybrid model where they have control but engage with a dedicated expert specialist to operate and execute the function for them at arm’s length.”
Vaccaro noted that PalletTrader+ is following a familiar logistics outsourcing playbook. “It’s the same concept as a business hiring a third-party logistics provider to source and manage their freight trucking needs or operate a warehouse on their behalf.” Typically, a managed services client would provide a daily, weekly or monthly forecast of pallet needs. The PalletTrader+ team would then do the blocking and tackling to execute that plan, coordinating and communicating regularly with the client to manage and address changing needs.
Vaccaro noted that the platform was initially built and launched as a comprehensive self-service tool, enabling the hundreds of mom-and-pop pallet depot operators, typically sellers of pallets, to digitally engage with a wide range of buyers and gain access to new buyers. This market segment had little to no access to ecommerce technology to streamline the buying and selling of pallets. At the same time, he anticipated that as the platform gained traction, a market would emerge among larger customers for a next-level service.
“Reaching one million pallet transactions in less than eight months, and successfully onboarding hundreds of pallet buyers and sellers during that time, far exceeded our expectations,” Vaccaro said. “As we got more feedback from users, it was clear that larger businesses were interested in a more robust offering, providing a planning and execution component that they could launch quickly, and leverage value from both enabling technology, and skilled personnel with deep market expertise. That’s what we’re providing with PalletTrader+.”
The other key “ask” that Vaccaro and his team received from corporate users, was for larger enterprises to have a credit option. In the current “do it yourself” model, buyers and sellers post, bid, negotiate, settle a sale and execute payment immediately as a single transaction.
With PalletTrader+, qualified corporate users gain access to a line of credit. Under this program, the platform captures and consolidates all pallet transaction activity. The system then sends a consolidated invoice capturing all activity during the designated period.
“This offering is good for any company that operates or is responsible for pallets at multiple locations and is especially ideal for those businesses that operate in both a company owned and outsourced warehouse co-pack network,” Vaccaro concluded.
Bettaway funded, built and is operating PalletTrader as an independent, neutral online business platform, enabling and streamlining the digital trading and sale of pallets in a collaborative, secure eCommerce environment, providing its user community with workflows and tools to drive new efficiencies into pallet supply and management.
For more information about PalletTrader and PalletTrader+, please visit us at www.pallettrader.com, phone us at (877) 777-7495 or email to support@pallettrader.com.
About Bettaway Supply Chain Services and PalletTrader South Plainfield, NJ-based Bettaway is an integrated material handling, transportation, and supply chain management company. Bettaway is an industry leader in pallet management solutions, delivering a managed service program built on an active network of some 550 facilities, and an active supplier database of 1,200, providing a centralized suite of pallet services. The company also provides quality transportation with its own dedicated fleets on both the east and west coasts, and national 3PL network. Value-added services include a full-scope warehouse operation with a variety-pack line, e-commerce fulfillment and distribution management for beverage and other CPG products, as well as supply chain consulting services. Bettaway also is the founder and operator of PalletTrader, the supply chain industry’s first collaborative eCommerce marketplace for online posting, buying, selling and delivery of white wood pallets. Visit us at www.bettaway.com.
The Port of Oakland has been awarded $50 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) to modernize wharves and terminal infrastructure at its Outer Harbor facility, the port said today.
Those upgrades would enable the Outer Harbor to accommodate Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs), which are now a regular part of the shipping fleet calling on West Coast ports. Each of these ships has a handling capacity of up to 24,000 TEUs (20-foot containers) but are currently restricted at portions of Oakland’s Outer Harbor by aging wharves which were originally designed for smaller ships.
According to the port, those changes will let it handle newer, larger vessels, which are more efficient, cost effective, and environmentally cleaner to operate than older ships. Specific investments for the project will include: wharf strengthening, structural repairs, replacing container crane rails, adding support piles, strengthening support beams, and replacing electrical bus bar system to accommodate larger ship-to-shore cranes.
Commercial fleet operators are steadily increasing their use of GPS fleet tracking, in-cab video solutions, and predictive analytics, driven by rising costs, evolving regulations, and competitive pressures, according to an industry report from Verizon Connect.
Those conclusions come from the company’s fifth annual “Fleet Technology Trends Report,” conducted in partnership with Bobit Business Media, and based on responses from 543 fleet management professionals.
The study showed that for five consecutive years, at least four out of five respondents have reported using at least one form of fleet technology, said Atlanta-based Verizon Connect, which provides fleet and mobile workforce management software platforms, embedded OEM hardware, and a connected vehicle device called Hum by Verizon.
The most commonly used of those technologies is GPS fleet tracking, with 69% of fleets across industries reporting its use, the survey showed. Of those users, 72% find it extremely or very beneficial, citing improved efficiency (62%) and a reduction in harsh driving/speeding events (49%).
Respondents also reported a focus on safety, with 57% of respondents citing improved driver safety as a key benefit of GPS fleet tracking. And 68% of users said in-cab video solutions are extremely or very beneficial. Together, those technologies help reduce distracted driving incidents, improve coaching sessions, and help reduce accident and insurance costs, Verizon Connect said.
Looking at the future, fleet management software is evolving to meet emerging challenges, including sustainability and electrification, the company said. "The findings from this year's Fleet Technology Trends Report highlight a strong commitment across industries to embracing fleet technology, with GPS tracking and in-cab video solutions consistently delivering measurable results,” Peter Mitchell, General Manager, Verizon Connect, said in a release. “As fleets face rising costs and increased regulatory pressures, these technologies are proving to be indispensable in helping organizations optimize their operations, reduce expenses, and navigate the path toward a more sustainable future.”
Businesses engaged in international trade face three major supply chain hurdles as they head into 2025: the disruptions caused by Chinese New Year (CNY), the looming threat of potential tariffs on foreign-made products that could be imposed by the incoming Trump Administration, and the unresolved contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), according to an analysis from trucking and logistics provider Averitt.
Each of those factors could lead to significant shipping delays, production slowdowns, and increased costs, Averitt said.
First, Chinese New Year 2025 begins on January 29, prompting factories across China and other regions to shut down for weeks, typically causing production to halt and freight demand to skyrocket. The ripple effects can range from increased shipping costs to extended lead times, disrupting even the most well-planned operations. To prepare for that event, shippers should place orders early, build inventory buffers, secure freight space in advance, diversify shipping modes, and communicate with logistics providers, Averitt said.
Second, new or increased tariffs on foreign-made goods could drive up the cost of imports, disrupt established supply chains, and create uncertainty in the marketplace. In turn, shippers may face freight rate volatility and capacity constraints as businesses rush to stockpile inventory ahead of tariff deadlines. To navigate these challenges, shippers should prepare advance shipments and inventory stockpiling, diversity sourcing, negotiate supplier agreements, explore domestic production, and leverage financial strategies.
Third, unresolved contract negotiations between the ILA and the USMX will come to a head by January 15, when the current contract expires. Labor action or strikes could cause severe disruptions at East and Gulf Coast ports, triggering widespread delays and bottlenecks across the supply chain. To prepare for the worst, shippers should adopt a similar strategy to the other potential January threats: collaborate early, secure freight, diversify supply chains, and monitor policy changes.
According to Averitt, companies can cushion the impact of all three challenges by deploying a seamless, end-to-end solution covering the entire path from customs clearance to final-mile delivery. That strategy can help businesses to store inventory closer to their customers, mitigate delays, and reduce costs associated with supply chain disruptions. And combined with proactive communication and real-time visibility tools, the approach allows companies to maintain control and keep their supply chains resilient in the face of global uncertainties, Averitt said.
Bloomington, Indiana-based FTR said its Trucking Conditions Index declined in September to -2.47 from -1.39 in August as weakness in the principal freight dynamics – freight rates, utilization, and volume – offset lower fuel costs and slightly less unfavorable financing costs.
Those negative numbers are nothing new—the TCI has been positive only twice – in May and June of this year – since April 2022, but the group’s current forecast still envisions consistently positive readings through at least a two-year forecast horizon.
“Aside from a near-term boost mostly related to falling diesel prices, we have not changed our Trucking Conditions Index forecast significantly in the wake of the election,” Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking, said in a release. “The outlook continues to be more favorable for carriers than what they have experienced for well over two years. Our analysis indicates gradual but steadily rising capacity utilization leading to stronger freight rates in 2025.”
But FTR said its forecast remains unchanged. “Just like everyone else, we’ll be watching closely to see exactly what trade and other economic policies are implemented and over what time frame. Some freight disruptions are likely due to tariffs and other factors, but it is not yet clear that those actions will do more than shift the timing of activity,” Vise said.
The TCI tracks the changes representing five major conditions in the U.S. truck market: freight volumes, freight rates, fleet capacity, fuel prices, and financing costs. Combined into a single index indicating the industry’s overall health, a positive score represents good, optimistic conditions while a negative score shows the inverse.
Specifically, the new global average robot density has reached a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023, which is more than double the mark of 74 units measured seven years ago.
Broken into geographical regions, the European Union has a robot density of 219 units per 10,000 employees, an increase of 5.2%, with Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Slovenia in the global top ten. Next, North America’s robot density is 197 units per 10,000 employees – up 4.2%. And Asia has a robot density of 182 units per 10,000 persons employed in manufacturing - an increase of 7.6%. The economies of Korea, Singapore, mainland China and Japan are among the top ten most automated countries.
Broken into individual countries, the U.S. ranked in 10th place in 2023, with a robot density of 295 units. Higher up on the list, the top five are:
The Republic of Korea, with 1,012 robot units, showing a 5% increase on average each year since 2018 thanks to its strong electronics and automotive industries.
Singapore had 770 robot units, in part because it is a small country with a very low number of employees in the manufacturing industry, so it can reach a high robot density with a relatively small operational stock.
China took third place in 2023, surpassing Germany and Japan with a mark of 470 robot units as the nation has managed to double its robot density within four years.
Germany ranks fourth with 429 robot units for a 5% CAGR since 2018.
Japan is in fifth place with 419 robot units, showing growth of 7% on average each year from 2018 to 2023.