Woodpack Global
Woodpack Global is the new name of the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA), the US trade association for the wood pallet and container industry. It publishes the Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets and owns the Pallet Design System (PDS) and Crate Design System (CDS) software.
Also called NWPCA, National Wooden Pallet & Container Association
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On this page
What Woodpack Global does for pallet design
| Product or standard | What it is |
|---|---|
| Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets | terminology, materials, grades, tolerances, fasteners, repair and performance rules |
| Pallet Design System | design and analysis software for wood pallets |
| Crate Design System (CDS) | companion software for crates, sharing material files with PDS |
| LoadSync | free buyer-side requirements tool released in 2013 |
History in brief
- The association helped found the pallet and container research lab at Virginia Tech in 1976
- It backed the multi-year research program that produced PDS 1.0 in 1984
- The Woodpack Global name appears in PDS 6.12 (August 2026)
The association is based in Alexandria, Virginia. Its standards and software are referenced by retailers and large shippers in their pallet requirements.
Why the name change matters
Older specs, contracts and retailer guides refer to NWPCA. They mean the same organization and the same Uniform Standard, so no spec needs rewriting just because of the rename.
Questions
- Is NWPCA the same as Woodpack Global?
- Yes. The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association rebranded as Woodpack Global.
Related
- Pallet Design System (PDS)The Pallet Design System (PDS) is Woodpack Global's Windows software for designing and rating wood pallets. First released in 1984; now at version 6.12.
- LoadSyncLoadSync is a free tool NWPCA released in 2013 that let pallet buyers define their load and handling requirements and send them to a PDS-licensed manufacturer.
- Uniform Standard for Wood PalletsThe Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (Woodpack Global, formerly NWPCA) sets US lumber grades, tolerances, nail counts and repair rules for wood pallets.
- Pallet standardsThe standards behind wood pallet design: the Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets, ISPM-15, ISO 6780, ISO 8611, ASTM D1185, ANSI MH1, EPAL and GMA.
- Annular nailAn annular (ring-shank) nail has rings around its shank that lock into the wood fibers. It is recommended for softwood and low-density hardwood pallets.
- Bill of materialsA pallet bill of materials (BOM) lists every part with size and count. A GMA-style 48x40 BOM has 15 wood parts, 84 nails and about 13.5 board feet.
Sources
- Pallet Design System (Woodpack Global)
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA, now Woodpack Global), 2012 edition