Recyclable pallet assembly

A material handling apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of runners extruded from a thermoplastic material to a predetermined dimension that is uniquely sized for an individual load to be handled, each runner defining an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface, having formed therein a continuous channel extending from a first runner end to a second runner end, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces having formed therethrough, in predetermined locations, a plurality of fastener receiving apertures;
• a plurality of extruded thermoplastic support bars;
• a plurality of support bar locating apertures formed in predetermined lateral surfaces of the runners, each support bar locating aperture insertably receiving a respective support bar;
• at least one stabilizer having a main body which includes a predetermined number of tab members formed integrally with the stabilizer main body, each stabilizer main body having a number of tab members equal to the number of extruded thermoplastic runners of the material handling apparatus, each tab member having formed therethrough a plurality of fastener receiving apertures;
• and
• a plurality of fastening means for removably coupling the at least one stabilizer with the runners.

A method of manufacturing a pallet comprising the following steps:

• determining the dimensions of a unique load to be handled;
• extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual runners sized to efficiently interact with a unique load, each runner extruded to form a shape that defines an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface having formed therein a tab locating channel, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces;
• extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual bars sized to efficiently interact with the unique load;
• forming through predetermined lateral surfaces of each runner a predetermined number of bar locating apertures to permit each runner to insertably mate with each of the bars in a generally perpendicular orientation;
• insertably positioning the individual bars in respective bar locating apertures;
• forming at least one stabilizer having a main body and a predetermined number of tab members made integral with the stabilizer main body;
• insertably positioning each tab member of a stabilizer into the stabilizer locating channel;
• and
• removably mounting each tab member on a respective runner.

A method of manufacturing a pallet comprising the following steps:

• extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual runners, each runner having an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces;
• forming in the bottom surface of each runner at least one tab locating aperture;
• forming through the opposed lateral surfaces of each runner a predetermined number of bar locating apertures;
• extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual bars;
• insertably positioning the individual bars in the bar locating apertures;
• forming at least one stabilizer having a main body and a predetermined number of tab members made integral with the stabilizer main body;
• insertably positioning each tab member of a stabilizer into a respective at least one tab locating aperture.