Pallet design, engineering standards, and international collaboration continue to evolve, as exemplified in a trio of announcements from the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA). The launch of PDS 6.11, a new strategic partnership with European packaging federation Fedustria, and the publication of an updated Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets signal a coordinated industry push toward stronger, safer, and more globally consistent pallet practices.
Below is a breakdown of what changed, why it matters, and how pallet users, manufacturers, and supply-chain managers should respond.
1. New PDS 6.11 Release — Smarter Pallet Design Tools
On December 3, 2025, NWPCA released version 6.11 of its Pallet Design System (PDS). This update brings major new modeling and design capabilities that significantly raise the bar for pallet strength, safety, and international usability.
- Wood screw specification: Users can now design pallets using wood screws, including deck screws, lag screws, and washer-head self-drilling screws, offering stronger fastener performance than traditional nails. This is especially useful for heavy-duty skids or pallets under demanding loads.
- Improved block-pallet creep predictions: Thanks to recent research, including work at a leading university lab, PDS 6.11 now factors in moisture content, joint design, fastener size, lumber dimensions, and long-term deflection behavior to deliver more accurate predictions of creep in block pallets in long-term storage.
- ISO 8611 simulation: The new version can simulate the laboratory test defined in ISO 8611, producing a “Nominal Load” rating for block pallets. For manufacturers and users targeting international markets, this ability allows pre-validation of designs before costly lab testing.
- Additional enhancements: Deckboard thickness increased up to 6″, support for more line-load cases, improved PDF output formatting, and background AI-detection to safeguard NWPCA’s intellectual property — all delivered without degrading user performance.
Why this matters: For wood pallet manufacturers, PDS 6.11 gives data-driven confidence — not guesswork — in load capacity, long-term durability, and international compliance. For pallet purchasers, it offers a transparent, verifiable design basis when specifying or buying pallets, especially for heavy or long-duration storage loads.
2. Global Expansion: NWPCA + Fedustria Partnership
On December 2, 2025, NWPCA and Belgium-based Fedustria announced a strategic partnership to promote PDS adoption in that country. Through this agreement, Fedustria will position PDS as the exclusive pallet-design software for its membership. The partnership promises to:
- Expand PDS adoption among Belgium’s pallet manufacturers and supply-chain stakeholders;
- Create joint training and technical-seminar opportunities across the Atlantic;
- Facilitate cross-border standard alignment and data sharing between North America and Europe.
“We are excited to partner with Fedustria,” said Brent McClendon, CAE, President & CEO of NWPCA. “This partnership strengthens our shared mission to advance innovation, safety, and sustainability in the global wood transport packaging industry. It is an honor to have been selected by Fedustria as the exclusive pallet design software for their membership. With agreements now in place with organizations in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, Canada, and Brazil, PDS is quickly becoming the global standard and international language of wood pallet design.”
“This partnership is a win for both our members and the broader wood sector,” added Filip De Jaeger, CSO of Fedustria. “Belgium’s wood industry is deeply rooted in craftsmanship and innovation, and through this agreement, we connect that heritage with the global efficiency and engineering precision of PDS. The software helps our companies demonstrate not only technical excellence but measurable sustainability, which are key drivers in Europe’s circular economy.”
3. Revised Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets — Industry Standards Reinforced
Finally, on November 21, 2025, the NWPCA Board approved a new edition of the Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets, updating the 2014 version. The revised standard includes updated diagrams, harmonized terminology, and compatibility with the latest PDS capabilities.
This revision is more than cosmetic. By aligning the standard with PDS tools and reflecting decades of research, NWPCA ensures that pallet specification, repair, and grading across the industry are unified, reducing ambiguity and increasing safety and consistency across manufacturers, recyclers, and users.
4. What These Updates Mean for the Industry — From Hardwood to Softwood, Stability & Reuse
These three steps, better design data, global diffusion, and updated standards, amplify each other. For example:
- Improved design modeling supports the shift from mixed hardwood to more efficient softwood pallets, a trend confirmed by recent research from Virginia Tech and covered in PackagingRevolution coverage.
- ISO simulation and global alignment lower the barrier for European exporters or U.S. companies sourcing pallets in Europe to adopt consistent specs.
- Updated standards and better engineering tools reduce over-design and wood waste, a trend that supports sustainability and cost-efficiency improvements.
- For supply chains with high reuse potential, data-driven design makes reusable or long-life pallets more attractive. A well-designed pallet may cost more upfront, but if performance is validated via PDS and ISO-aligned specs, the cost per trip can drop dramatically.
In a market still influenced by lumber volatility and shifting demand dynamics, these updates help provide tools and clarity to reduce risk for pallet market stakeholders.
Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
