Dallas, TX and Ithaca, NY - February 19, 2008 - It is a well known fact that pallet pooling has by far been the most successful pallet management model in the material handling and logistics field due to reduced costs in transportation and optimized systems for delivery and recovery of material. The real question is how ecologically conscious American companies can move forward with even greener and more sustainable pallet technologies.

There is a report about a new happening in material handling and green logistics that is about to change the way materials are transported.

About a year ago Dallas, TX based Toro Pallets LLC (www.toropallets.com) introduced Toro Aluminum & Hybrid material handling pallets for warehousing and closed loops. Toro's "GMA standard" exceeding pallets come RFID enabled, have fastener free loading surfaces, are temperature stable, fire resistant, maintenance free, AS/AR ready and bug free to meet stringent ISPM 15 and evolving domestic phytosanitary and hygiene standards.

Activities have moved up a notch to provide Toro's sustainable pallets in the supply chain. In a "What's new" talk between Rick LeBlanc (www.mobilelogistics.net) and Tiger Aster, President of Toro Pallets LLC., we were informed that there are ongoing plans about Greening up America's supply chain with Ithaca, NY based pallet pooling and mobile asset management company, Ongweoweh Corp (www.ongweoweh.com).

"Ongweoweh Corp., has been providing material handling solutions for over 25 years with their core pallet pooling business," offered Aster. Ongweoweh is an established industry leader in the provision of unique customer-centric pallet pooling solutions, with clients such as Eastman Kodak, Coca Cola, E.I. DuPont, IBM, Monsanto, R.R. Donnelley, Johnson & Johnson and Johnson Controls to name a few.

The tie up with Toro Pallets leverages Ongweoweh's position to become a market leader in sustainable material handling solutions and involves talks of a nationwide alliance with partnering environmentally conscious carriers for distribution, transportation and recovery.

Pallet pooling customers have become more savvy in the quest for sustainable solutions especially now with green practice compliance and ISO 14000, domestic transportation hygiene, intra state – ISPM 15 compliance and environmental stewardship mandates from large corporate buyers like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target, Kroger, Walgreens and Albertsons etc.

Toro's GMA – RFID enabled pallets provide pooling customers the opportunity to embrace sustainable technologies and maintain a harmonized green supply chain.

"When it comes to making a significant positive impact on the environment, we have to look at the results on a macro level and we are glad to have selected a forward minded pooling partner that places their customers' needs, their people and the environment first." said Tiger Aster on June & Frank Bonamie's philosophy.

Ongweoweh's proprietary asset tracking system "NativeTrax" (https://www.nativetrax.com) is already being enhanced to work with RFID technology and provide better tracking & supply chain visibility for customers.

At 40 pounds, Toro Pallets are ultra-light weight and reduce transportation fuel and carbon emissions in transportation. In accordance to the EPA-SmartWay (SM) Transportation Program, reducing 1700 lbs from a single truck could add up to fuel savings exceeding $850 and reduce carbon emissions by up to 3.5 Tons a year.

"We'd like to take little steps in this venture with Ongweoweh Corp, by just aiming for 0.5% of the long haul fleets to transport optimal unitized loads on Toro Pallets, that would result in a net carbon reduction of 122,000 tons and saving participating fleet owners $30 Million in fuel costs annually. This is the beginning of making a substantial impact." added Tiger Aster, Inventor & President of Toro Pallets.

While people often think of pallet pooling in terms of a one-size fits all approach to pallet selection, Ongweoweh customizes environmentally superior solutions to address the needs of specific customers. "Ongweoweh's core business is to provide the correct platform for each client's product at the lowest cost," explained Ben Richards, Vice President of Sales at Ongweoweh. "These platforms can range from plastic, wood, corrugate, composite, and now aluminum. Ongweoweh is pleased to add Toro Pallets as a solution for our clients with unique material handling needs and environmental concerns."

About Ongweoweh Corp

Founded by June & Frank Bonamie, is a leader in the pallet industry, distributing, managing, recovering, and recycling more than 17 million pallets yearly throughout North America. Ongweoweh's mission is to exceed customers' expectations through product quality, technical innovation, and exemplary service. In the Cayuga language, Ongweoweh means "original people." The word signifies the company's belief in originality, integrity, and respect for individuals and the environment.

For sustainable pooling solutions, Ongweoweh can be contacted at

Ongweoweh Corp
767 Warren Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
Toll Free - 800-611-8964
Fax: (607) 266-7085

Dallas, TX & Hyderabad, India - November 17, 2007 - India's supply chain and its connection to the rapidly growing retail sector has attracted Aluminum & Hybrid Pallet manufacturer Toro Pallets LLC, to start operations in India.

Toro Pallets recently took on Mr. Praveen K. Saraf as the Country Manager for Toro Pallets' pooling activities in India; the notice comes as the retail trade moves into high gear.

Mr. Saraf will be instrumental in handling our pooling framework in the Indian market and will be in charge of our Indian pallet rental business.

Having a nationwide network along with a partnering 3PL (Third Party Logistics) provider is the key to successful pallet pooling in India. Talks are currently on with logistics providers for the recovery and re-distribution of Toro Pooled Pallets nationwide.

“We are certain that our RFID enabled ECR Asia pallets will be able to offer services at par and in some cases exceeding even western standards at a low cost to India’s logistics & supply chain network” said Praveen Saraf, Country Manager - Toro Pallets Pooling India.

With national and regional distribution centers coming up around the country, the need for palletization, unit loading, warehousing, cross docking and reverse logistics will become an integral part of the Supplier – Customer backbone. Toro Pallets intends on bridging the gap by becoming an economically viable medium to facilitate this process.

“Why own when you can rent” asked Mr. Aster, Pallets are mobile assets and are constantly on the move, the current method of owning pallets in India is a drain on a company’s finances where the pallets are used just once and discarded or sold at a loss. Toro Pallets solve this dilemma, we own, we deliver, you use, you ship, we’ll pick it up and get it back into circulation.

“Our customers in India demand the best in logistics & material handling solutions and it is our job to provide it” said Mr. Saraf.

Mr. Praveen K. Saraf – Country Manager for Toro Pallets Pooling India can be contacted at ps@toropallets.com

Dallas, Texas & Bangkok, Thailand - October 30 2007 - Toro Pallets LLC today introduced the RFID enabled GMA, EURO and ECR Asia Aluminum & Hybrid Pallets.

With a growing demand for standardized pallets, Toro Pallets LLC has directed its manufacturing efforts to cater to the American, European and Asian Markets where the prevalent pallet sizes are optimized in the warehousing and transportation sectors.

The GMA, EURO and ECR Asia pallets are a part of the ISO standards for pallet sizes, however Toro Pallets will still continue to produce customer specific sizes for various industries such as Paper, Chemicals and the automotive industry to name a few.

Toro GMA, EURO and ECR Asia Pallets are all RFID enabled for seamless integration with Warehouse Management Systems and WIP tracking and can be easily implemented with existing ERP, MRP and Supply Chain Collaboration suites.

With the insatiable demand for accurate information Toro Pallets decided to include the RFID Tag that was previously available only as an option. "We identified with our RFID partner the optimum location for 100% constant reads without compromising on the structural strength of the pallet" said Tiger Aster, President of Toro Pallets LLC.

Mr. Kampol of Acentech (Thailand) said "Using the Plug and Play architecture of Toro Pallets, it was too easy to incorporate and test the readability of the RFID tags and zero in on the best fail safe scan zones"

Bangkok, Thailand - October 03, 2007 - Thai Orix Leasing Co., Ltd, a Thailand based Equipment Finance & Leasing solutions company today has offered to lease Toro Pallets to customers in Thailand under both Hire Purchase and lease.

This announcement comes after several rounds of talks between top executives of Thai Orix & Toro Pallets.Thai Orix has offered various packages for acquiring Toro Pallets from 1 & 2 year hire purchase agreements to 3, 4 and 5 year lease agreements.

The decision to lease Toro Pallets in Thailand is to offer better material handling solutions to a growing logistics need in the country.

Toro Pallets & Thai Orix believe that growth in warehousing in Thailand will be increasing at a rapid pace with new warehousing and distribution centers coming up in the Zone 2 and Zone 3 industrial areas.

Thailand based customers now have the opportunity to own Toro Pallets at a cost that is comparatively lower than the capital cost incurred to procure Wooden or Plastic Pallets that have a lesser life than Toro Pallets.

Dallas, Texas - October 1, 2007 - In 1989 a subcommittee of the Joint Shipping Container Committee was formed with the task of analyzing the viability of the standard "GMA" pallet.

The initial sponsors for the subcommittee included the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), the Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA), and the National American Wholesale Grocers Association (NAWGA) now knows as the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA).

Additional sponsors included The Produce Marketing Association (PMA), the American Trucking Association (ATA), the American Meat institute (AMI), and the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) along with Cleveland Consulting Associates and representatives from the following companies Campbell Soup Company, Craig Transportation Company, Del Monte Foods, U.S.A., Fleming companies, Inc., General Mills, Inc., Giant Food, Inc., Heinz U.S.A., Geo. A. Hormel & Company, Kraft General Foods, Land O'Lakes, Lever Brothers, Marsh Supermarkets, Inc., Nabisco Foods Group, The Pillsbury Company, Procter & Gamble Company, Safeway, Inc., Spartan Stores, Inc., The Stop & Shop Companies, Super Food Services, Inc., SUPERVALU, INC., Sweet Life Foods and Wetterau Inc., were included to recommend a new standard.

In 1992 the subcommittee published a document on its research and finding with recommendations for a better GMA pallet.

15 yeast later in 2007, the recommendations of the subcommittee and the associate companies are a reality.

Toro Pallets LLC, a Dallas, TX based company that manufacturers aluminum and hybrid pallets has addressed every issue recommended by the subcommittee and has also exceeded their expectations for modern day logistics and supply chain management.

Grocery Industry
Recommended Pallet Performance Specifications
Do Toro Pallets fit the recommendation?

Source : Cleveland Consulting Associates: The Grocery Industry Pallet Committee

Toro Pallets is the first pallet company to offer its pallets on a lease to own basis reducing the overheads to as low as $7/Month on a 36 month lease.

The unique concept of leasing our pallets through our financial partners enables manufacturers to allocate their funds to other critical projects while taking full advantage of the benefits our pallets have to offer.

Toro Pallet is offering its GMA pallets to existing wood pallet manufacturers and pallet poolers as a kit. These kits can be assembled at their factories, collection, repair and distribution centers.

Pallet poolers have the perfect opportunity to prove they are socially and environmentally responsible by reducing parasitic loads in the supply chain that can lead to fuel savings, efficient transportation, reduced product loss due to damage and provide for a greener tomorrow. 

Toro Pallets are ultra-light weight and reduce transportation fuel usage by reducing parasitic loads. In accordance to the EPA-Smartway (sm) Transportation Program, reducing 900 lbs from a single truck could add up to fuel savings exceeding $500 and reduce carbon emissions by up to 1.7 Tons a year. There are over 7 Million long haul trucks in the logistics and transportation industry in America.

Toro pallets with their light weight advantage also have fastener free loading surfaces, are free of sharp corners & edges, termite & mold free, temperature stable, fire resistant, maintenance free, AS/AR compliant and come with a 15 year lifetime guarantee.

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