New pallets for dairy loads

A pallet that holds aging cheese for months carries its load the whole time, and wood under a constant load slowly bends. Say how long pallets sit loaded so the build accounts for it.

Dairy docks are washed and coolers are humid. Wood below 20% moisture content won’t support mold; dried lumber and air movement in storage keep pallets clean. Tell us if pallets are washed or stored outdoors.

Dairy product manufacturing employed 168,222 people in 2025. In Wisconsin it is 1.1% of all private jobs, about nine times the national share; Sheboygan County had the most dairy jobs of any reporting county.

What do milk crates need from a pallet?

Crates stand on four corners, so the deck boards must sit beneath those corners whichever way a crate is placed. A close deck makes that easy.

Can cheese pallets be racked?

Yes, if the build carries the weight between beams for months without bending. Give the block weight, the number per pallet and the rack beam spacing.

Do dairy plants need special lumber?

Many ask for dried, bark-free wood and no loose fasteners, because wood and wash-down floors don’t mix well with food safety audits. Send your plant’s rules.

How often do dairy plants order?

Weekly is common, sometimes more often. A standing order against one written spec keeps every delivery identical.

Butter and ice cream?

Frozen dairy goes into freezers rather than coolers. Pallets for it are racked frozen and should be built for the colder room and its condensation.

Yogurt and cultured products?

Cups and tubs ship in light cases stacked high. The weight is modest, but cases crush if the deck sags, so a flat, close deck matters more than heavy lumber.

Do cooler floors wear pallets out?

Constant cold and wash water keep bottom boards damp. Pallets that stay in a cooler for weeks hold up better when built from dried lumber with flush nails and a full bottom deck that sits evenly on a wet floor. Avoid painted pallets there.