§1Capacity and raw material
Ask how many pallets per shift the line that will build yours produces, how many shifts run, and what share of that capacity your volume would take. Look at the lumber or core yard: days of stock on hand tells you how exposed the plant is to a supply hiccup.
For recycled suppliers, ask where cores come from and what share is bought in. A recycler that relies on bought cores feels shortages first.
§2Quality and sorting
Watch the sort line. Ask to see the grade definitions sorters work to and compare them with yours. Check how rejects are handled and whether finished stacks are inspected before loading.
§3Treatment and marking (if you export)
For heat-treated pallets, ask which ALSC-accredited agency the plant is enrolled with, see the chamber and its temperature records, and check the marking stencil. ISPM 15 requires the treatment code and producer code in the mark.
§4Safety and continuity
Look at housekeeping and guarding. Ask what happens if the plant is down for a week: is there a second plant, or a partner? Ask for insurance certificates. Ask for two customer references at similar volume.
§5Write it up
Score each area and keep the write-up with the bid. At the first quarterly review, compare what you saw with what you're getting.
§6Evidence to ask for
- For heat-treated pallets: the supplier's ISPM 15 enrolment with an accredited agency, and recent kiln or chamber records for the treatment cycle.
- Certificates of insurance naming your company, with limits that match the contract.
- A list of the plants that will supply you, with addresses, so you can check distance and backup capacity.
- Two customer references at a similar volume and delivery pattern, and permission to call them.
Ask for documents in writing before the visit. A supplier that can't produce them quickly is telling you something about how it will handle a quality complaint.
§7After the audit
Write down what you saw and share the findings with the supplier, including anything they need to fix before the first order. Repeat the audit on a schedule, and again whenever reject rates rise or the supplier changes plants.