Pallet inventor wins posthumous award

The Logistics Hall of Fame has posthumously lauded The Raymond Corporation’s founder, George Raymond Sr., as an inductee for his invention of the first double-faced wooden pallet.

The organization celebrated this year’s honorees at a gala reception with German Transport Minister Volker Wissing on Nov. 29 in Berlin.

“It’s an honour to have our founder recognized for a pivotal innovation that changed the trajectory of the logistics industry,” said Michael Field, president and CEO of The Raymond Corporation.

“The invention of the double-faced wooden pallet centered on helping customers bring their operations to a new level of performance. Today, we continue George Raymond’s legacy by finding innovative intralogistics solutions that help customers run better and manage smarter through our lean-based approach of optimize, connect, and automate.”

Developed in the 1930s by George Raymond Sr. and his colleague, William House, the double-faced wooden pallet permits the high stacking of crushable goods. In a show of commitment to the industry, Raymond Sr. donated the patent to the industry soon after it was awarded.

“It’s incredible to see the lasting impact my grandfather had and how his spirit of innovation lives on today at The Raymond Corporation,” said Steve Raymond, retired president of Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation and grandson of Raymond’s founder.

“One hundred years later, the double-faced wooden pallet remains an industry standard, helping to transport an ever-increasing amount of goods around the globe. Thank you to the Logistics Hall of Fame for this honor.”

The Logistics Hall of Fame honors leading figures who have made outstanding efforts to promote the development of logistics and supply chain management. In addition, the organization aims to document outstanding logistics achievements and encourage and promote industry innovation.