Pallet Design and Performance
Advanced Wood Pallet Design, Short Course
"Course instructors were passionate and extremely knowledgable. Unit load software has vast capabilities and can be utilized for several different applications. Keep up the good work!"
-Attendee, 2019
"Everything was over-all great! A truly wonderful learning opportunity as well as a great time!"
-Attendee, 2019
Who should attend:
- Wood Pallet Suppliers
- Pallet Designers
- Pallet Sales Professionals
- Pallet Purchasers
- Packaging Engineers
- Pallet Specifiers
- Corrugated Box Designers
Topics covered in this short course:
- Learn how to design cost efficient wooden pallets
- Learn the fundamentals of stringer class pallet design and performance, including both new and re-manufactured wood pallets.
- Learn the fundamentals of block class pallet design and performance
- Learn how to use the PDS software to design stringer and block class pallets.
- Learn how to specify fasteners
- Learn how to design pallets for sheet goods
- Learn the principles of load bridging and how to use it to reduced pallet cost
Instructors:
Dr. Laszlo Horvath
Associate Professor, Virginia Tech
Director, Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design
In 2010, Dr. Horvath received his Ph.D. in Forest Biomaterials from NC State. He is one of the few packaging professionals who have received the "ISTA CPLP – Professional Level" certification. He is the chair of the ASTM D1185 working group, a U.S. delegate of TC 51, and a voting member of ANSI MH1 and MH 10 committees.
Brad Gething
Dr. Brad Gething
Vice President of Science and Technology
National Wood Pallet and Container Association
Brad Gething became a member of the NWPCA staff in July 2013, taking on the role of Technical and PDS Manager. Brads role includes participation in various standards bodies, promotion of research and development, and support on other technical issues related to the wood packaging industry. He also serves as a point of contact for PDS design support.
Kristen DeLack
Kristen DeLack
Professional Engineer
National Wood Pallet and Container Association
Kristen DeLack is a 25-year veteran Structural Engineer who joined NWPCA in 2016. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas and Virginia. Kristen graduated Summa Cum Laude from VA Tech with two Bachelor’s and one Master’s degrees, concentrating in multidisciplinary and structural engineering. Prior to joining NWPCA, Kristen worked in the offshore oil and gas industry as a structural engineer and engineering project manager. During this time, she developed design and analysis software tools that helped engineers around the world efficiently design and build safe subsea structures. She is widely recognized as an expert in finite element analysis, which serves as the backbone for calculations performed by PDS. In her spare time, Kristen is an avid woodworker and historic preservation enthusiast.
Cost:
There are three types of tickets for this short course, detailed below. Tickets are the same for in-person or virtual attendance of this short course. All attendees will participate in three days of lectures, laboratory tours, and coursework. They will be served breakfast (all three mornings) and given lunch breaks and multiple daily snack breaks. All participants will receive a certificate of completion within two weeks of successfully finishing the course:
- Attendee (In-Person or Virtual): $1,500.00 (registration after March 28th, 2025 increases to $1,600.00)
- CPULD Member (In-Person or Virtual): $750.00 (registration after March 28th, 2025 increases to $800.00)
- NWPCA Member (In-Person or Virtual): $750.00 (registration after March 28th, 2025 increases to $800.00)
Time & Location:
This course is being held in-person. It will consist of 2.5 days of lectures, assignments, and laboratory tours. All of these activities will be just off Virginia Tech campus near the Corporate Research Center, in Blacksburg, VA.
In-person attendees are expected to get themselves to the correct starting location each morning.
Parking passes will be provided for Thursday's sessions which will be partially held in the Brooks Center on VT campus.
All activities on Tues. April 29th and Wed. April 30th will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Blacksburg VA.
Courtyard by Marriott
105 South Park Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24060
- Tuesday, April 29th, 2025: 8:00am-5:00pm
- Wednesday, April 30th, 2025, 2024: 8:00am- 5:00pm
Most activities on Thurs. May 1st will be held at the Brooks Forest Products Center, near the Corporate Research Center, in Blacksburg, VA.
Brooks Forest Products Center
Virginia Tech, MC 0503
1650 Research Center Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
- Thursday, May 1st, 2025: 8:00am-12:00pm
Remote Attendance:
Although this course is designed for in-person delivery, we have decided to also offer the opportunity for a completely online attendance.
Remote attendees will have access to the pallet design software. They will watch the live presentations and have the chance to communicate and ask questions of the instructors during the class sessions. Due to technical limitations, the laboratory visit cannot be offered to the remote attendees. You will be asked during registration whether you plan to attend in-person or virtually by Zoom.
Contacts:
Course Content Information:
Laszlo Horvath, Director, Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design
Phone: (540) 231-7673
Email: lhorvat@vt.edu
General CPULD Information:
Angie Riegel, Secretary
Phone: (540) 231-7107
Email: ariegel@vt.edu
Registration Questions:
Erich Sawyer, Virginia Tech Outreach Program Development
CPE Enrollment Coordinator, Virginia Tech Outreach Program Development
Or Registration Questions via phone: (540) 231-4084
Hotels:
The Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design works with the Courtyard by Marriott to make sure there are rooms available at a discounted rate for anyone attending this short course.
Check back to reserve rooms at a discounted rate!
The Courtyard by Marriott is located less than two miles from the Brooks Center building, where our short courses are held, and it offers many amenities including an indoor pool, exercise room, business area with free WIFI, and a delicious cafe on the premises. They also offer a shuttle service to and from the hotel that short course attendees have found helpful in the past. Please let them know upon check-in if you will need this shuttle service.
Please contact John Hale, john.hale@marriott.com, or Marriott directly at 540-552-5222, or register online using the direct link, for your hotel room at the Courtyard by Marriott. If you call, be sure to mention the short course you're in Blacksburg to attend in order to receive the discounted rate on your hotel room!
Other Local Hotels:
The Inn at VT
Holiday Inn Express and Suites
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn Blacksburg
Transportation:
The closest airport is the Roanoke Regional Airport (ROA), which is approximately 35 miles from Blacksburg, VA.
There are multiple car rental agencies as well as cab services located at the airport to transport visitors to Blackburg, VA.
The other nearby airports used by short course attendees are:
- Dulles International Airport, IAD (approx. 5 driving hours from Blacksburg, VA).
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport, CLT (approx. 3 driving hours from Blacksburg, VA).