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Marshall S. White

Professor Emeritus
Headshot of Marshall S. White
Marshall S. White
Brooks Forest Products Center (0503)
1650 Research Center Drive
Blacksburg, VA
24061
mswhite@vt.edu
(540) 231-7134

Dr. Marshall "Mark" White has been a member of the faculty in the Department of Wood Science & Forest Products at Virginia Tech since 1975. Originally from New Jersey, Dr. White received degrees from Colorado State University and Virginia Tech. Dr. White is the director of the William H. Sardo Jr. Pallet & Container Research Laboratory and the Center for Unit Load Design. His research and extension programs through the pallet lab and the unit load design lab focus on unit load materials handling efficiency. As a result of his research expertise, Dr. White has written many national and international standards for pallets and containers. He is head of the US delegation to the International Organization of Standardization (IS) TC51 Committee on International Pallet Standards and chairs the American Society of Engineers MH1 Committee on Pallet & Container Standards. Mark enjoys vacationing on New Jersey beaches and raising Newfoundlands.

 Areas of Expertise

  • Pallet Design and Performance
  • Sawmilling, Log & Lumber Grading
  • Unit-Loads, Automated Material Handling Systems

Yoo, Jiyoun. 2011. Ph.D. Modeling Compressive Stress Distributions at the Interface Between a Pallet Deck and Distribution Packaging.
Professor(s): Joseph Loferski and Marshall White

  • Hamner, Peter and Marshall S. White. 2008. Virginia Tech: Analysis Improves Performance, Trims Costs of Block Stacked Unit Loads. Pallet Enterprise. March, 2008, pp. 60-66.

  • Hamner, Peter and Marshall S. White. 2008. A Life Cycle Analysis of the Manufacture, Use, and Disposal of Pallets. MHIA - On the Move. Winter, 2008, pp. 12-13.

  • Hamner, Peter and Marshall S. White. 2007. Virginia Tech: Convergence of Two Shades of Green - Environmental Impacts from the Manufacture, Use, and Disposal of Pallets. Pallet Enterprise. November, 2007, pp. 54 - 57.

  • Rupert, Ralph L. and Marshall S. White. 2006. Comparative Rack Storage Performance Evaluation of New and Used Coke 48x40-inch Pallets. January 30, 2006, 13 pgs.

  • Rupert, Ralph L. and Marshall S. White. 2005. Performance Evaluation and Comparison of the New 37x37 Plastic Coke Pallet supplied by Rehrig Pacific and Norseman. August 11, 2005, 20 pgs.

  • Rupert, Ralph L. and Marshall S. White. 2005. Comparative Performance Evaluation of Stanley Fastening Systems Pallet Plus Bulk Nail versus Two Competitor's Fasteners. Report to Stanley Bostitch, June 16, 2005.

  • Rupert, Ralph L. and Marshall S. White. 2005. Preliminary Performance Evaluation of Two 1200x1000, Reusable, Perimeter Base, IBM Plywood Pallet Designs. Report to IBM, February 19, 2005, Charlotte, NC.

  • Rupert, Ralph L., and Marshall S. White. 2005. Feasibility of Producing Pallets from Green Finger Jointed Cants. Report to Pallet Foundation and USDA Forest Service, January 7, 2005.

  • Zhangjing Chen, Marshall S. White and W.H. Robinson. 2004. Commercial Feasibility of Vacuum to Control Insects in Raw Wood Packaging Materials. Report submitted to Limestone Bluffs Resource Conservation and Development.

  • Rupert, Ralph L., Marshall S. White. 2004. Effect of Southern Pine Dimension Lumber Grade on the Flexural Strength and Stiffness of CHEP USA Mark 55 Pallet Components. Report for Potomac Supply, Kinsale, VA, March 3, 2004, 16 pp.

  • Rupert, Ralph L., Marshall S. White. 2004. Optiledge Product Development Project: Test Results of Prototype HP-85-AD and LP-45-AD. Report for Optilogistics, Dallas, TX, May 28, 2004, 19 pp.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert. 2004. Intersol Cultured Marble Bath Products: Distribution Packaging Evaluation. Report for DuPont Surfaces, Syracuse, NY, July 6, 2004, 11 pp.

  • Rupert, Ralph L., Marshall S. White. 2004. Comparative Performance Evaluation of Stanley Fastening Systems Pallet Plus Nails. Report for Stanley Bostitch, East Greenwhich, RI, Jan. 19, 2004, 19 pp.

  • Rupert, Ralph L., Marshall S. White. 2004. Preliminary Performance Evaluation of Wood Samples Treated with the Armacel Process . Report for Armacel, Sydney, Australia, April 13, 2004, 12 pp.

  • Rupert, Ralph L. 2003. Memo Report. Report submitted to Millwood, Inc. of Girard, OH, February 10, 2003.

  • White, Marshall. 2003. Guidelines. Helped develop guidelines to regulate treatment, storage, and disposal of wood by product materials for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, as required in the code of Virginia.

  • White, Marshall S. and Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. Comparative Performance Evaluation of Stanley Fastening Systems Pallet Plus Nails. Report submitted to Stanley of East Greenwich, RI on October 5, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. Preliminary Performance Evaluation of the Prototype Hunter Paine Composite Lexite Pallet Designs. Report submitted to Hunter Paine of Lafayett, CA, January 10, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. Preliminary Performance Evaluation of the Prototype BCI 48x40-inch Paperboard Pallet Design. Report submitted to BCI Engineering of Newark, NJ, January 17, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. Comparative Performance of Threaded Pallet Nails Manufactured by Steeland Corporation of Seoul, Korea. Report submitted to Steeland of Seoul, Korea, January 30, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S. and Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. Preliminary Evaluation of a Mark 55 Pallet Design Manufactured with Brazilian Grown Pinus Taeda. Report submitted to CHEP Brazil on March 17, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. The Effect of Radio Frequency Heat Treatment of Green Hardwood Pallet Parts on Pallet Performance. Report submitted to MSU on August 15, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. Evaluation of the Compatibility of Corrugated Common Footprint Compliant, Corrugated and Returnable Plastic Containers within Mixed Unit Loads during the Order Picking, Storage, and Shipment of Fresh Produce. Report submitted to RPCC on October 13, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert. 2003. Relative Stacking Strength of Three Basalite Used, Repaired Pallet Designs (48x48, 40x48, 34x48) used to Ship Concrete Block and Bagged Concrete Mix. Report submitted to Basalite on July 24, 2003.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Comparative resistance of a prototype presswood and pine pallet block to simulated rough handling in the CHEP USA Mark 55 pallet design. Report submitted to Litco International of Vienna, Ohio. 22 pp..

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Preliminary performance evaluation of pallets made of green finger jointed hardwood components. Report submitted to Auburn Machinery of Auburn, Maine. 21 pp.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Preliminary performance evaluation of 48x40, non-reversible, partial 4-way, three stringer green hardwood pallets assembled using miller wood dowel fasteners. Report submitted to Miller Dowel of Chicago, Illinois. 14 pp.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Comparative performance evaluation of two 37 x 32 prototype plastic pallets for use by Anheuser Busch. Report submitted to Anheuser Busch of St Louis, Missouri. 15 pp.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Material properties of pallet parts manufactured from plantation grown eucalyptus grandis in Uruguay, South America. Report submitted to Asun of Portland, Oregon. 24 pp.

  • White, Marshall S. Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Preliminary performance evaluation of the BTD second prototype aluminum pallet designs. Report submitted to BTD of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. 16 pp.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Performance evaluation of the PECO 48x40, stringer prototype hardwood pallet design without butted top deck endboards. Report submitted to PECO of St Louis, Missouri. 18 pp.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Performance evaluation of the Envirokare glass-filled polypropylene prototype plastic pallet. Report submitted to Envirokare of Las Vegas, Nevada. 11 pp.

  • White, Marshall S., Ralph L. Rupert, and Peter C. Hamner. 2002. Comparative strength, stiffness and functionality of new and remanufactured 37x32 plywood deck Anheuser Busch block style pallet.  Report submitted to Smith Company of Pelhem, Alabama. 14 pp.

 

  • Hanmer, P,, White, M., Han, J., and Rupert, R. 2008. The effect of splicing method on the fexural performance of pallet deckboards and stringers. Forestr Products Journal (in review) review(review):.
  • Han, Jongkoo, Marshall S. White, and Peter C. Hamner. 2006. Development of a finite element model of pallet deformation and compressive stresses on packaging within unit loads. Journal of Applied Packaging Research 1(3):149-162.
  • Hamner, Peter C., Marshall S. White, and Philip A. Araman. 2006. The effect of curve sawing two-sided cants from small diameter hardwood sawlogs on lumber and pallet part yields. Forest Products Journal 56(10):??-??.
  • Mitchell, Hal L., Marshall S. White, and Philip A. Araman. 2005. Hardwood Pallet Cant Quality and Pallet Part Yields. Forest Products Journal 55(12):233-238.
  • Clarke, John W., Marshall S. White, and Philip A. Araman. 2005. Comparative Performance of New, Repaired, and Remanufactured 48- by 40-inch GMA-Style Wood Pallets. Forest Products Journal 55(12):83-88.

 

 

  • Hanmer, P,, White, M., Han, J., and Rupert, R. 2008. The effect of splicing method on the fexural performance of pallet deckboards and stringers. Forestr Products Journal (in review) review(review):.
  • Han, Jongkoo, Marshall S. White, and Peter C. Hamner. 2006. Development of a finite element model of pallet deformation and compressive stresses on packaging within unit loads. Journal of Applied Packaging Research 1(3):149-162.
  • Hamner, Peter C., Marshall S. White, and Philip A. Araman. 2006. The effect of curve sawing two-sided cants from small diameter hardwood sawlogs on lumber and pallet part yields. Forest Products Journal 56(10).
  • Mitchell, Hal L., Marshall S. White, and Philip A. Araman. 2005. Hardwood Pallet Cant Quality and Pallet Part Yields. Forest Products Journal 55(12):233-238.
  • Clarke, John W., Marshall S. White, and Philip A. Araman. 2005. Comparative Performance of New, Repaired, and Remanufactured 48- by 40-inch GMA-Style Wood Pallets. Forest Products Journal 55(12):83-88.