Breakthrough composite fiber technology.
SMART pallets’ superior design and performance comes from Advanced Fiber Reinforcement (AFR), a proprietary technology developed by
Integrated Composite Products, Inc. (ICP).
Integrated Composite Products, Inc. (ICP).
Introducing Integrated Composite Products.
Founded in 2013 by Ron Hawley and Derek Mazula, ICP is a composite technology innovator based in Winona, Minnesota, that has a track record of using fiber to reinforce resins. Its technology has helped transform automobile manufacturing and other industries.
SMART Logistics and ICP spent 3 years studying the ways pallets break, both in the lab and the toughest material handling environments. By learning why pallets fail, we succeeded in developing a stronger, more resilient pallet made from composites.
SMART pallets are stronger and lighter by design.
AFRs are rods and meshes made from glass fibers in various lengths. We add them to a lightweight thermoplastic called high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is also used to make plastic bottles, pipes and lumber.
We use different AFR types to build tension, structural and impact members. Each plays a different reinforcing role. When added to resin in the molding process, they increase the strength, rigidity and impact resistance of plastic. This technology lets our engineers fine-tune the strength-to-weight-cost balance, optimizing every part of the pallet for the threats and strains it faces.