Abstract: A disposable presswood reel has a cylindrical sleeve and two circular end flanges which attach to opposite ends of the sleeve. Each flange includes a pair of spaced parallel outwardly extending annular ribs which form a retaining groove therebetween. The retaining groove is tapered and has a bottom width slightly less than a wall thickness of the sleeve. The ends of the sleeve are inserted within the retaining groove to frictionally secure the flanges to the ends of the sleeve by a forced wedge fit. An adhesive channel is formed in an inner surface of one of the ribs for receiving an adhesive. The adhesive in the channel forms a solid locking ring between the flanges and the sleeve for securing the flanges to the sleeve. One of the pair of flange ribs is slightly taller than the other rib. An annular nesting groove is formed in an outer surface of each flange and receives the taller rib of an adjacent flange for vertically nesting and stacking the flanges on one another during shipping and storage.

Abstract: An improved pallet is provided that has a support surface sloped from the outside edges or perimeter to the center of the pallet so that boxes stacked on the pallet will tend to lean toward the center of the pallet. The pallet also is provided with ventilation holes arranged in the surface of the pallet to be aligned with ventilation holes in fruit and vegetable boxes stacked thereon so that cooling air may be circulated through the bottom of the pallet and up through the boxes. Racking members are also provided on the underside of the pallet to offer structural integrity when the pallet is resting on racks.