Plastic pallets are known for being more durable than standard wood pallets, but they also are generally far more expensive. Now, for $16 you can bring some of the strength of a plastic pallet to your existing wood units.

Created by United Pallet Service, PointGuard is a plastic shield that screws onto the ends of a wood pallet. A set of two PointGuards, one for each end of the pallet, costs $16.

You could think of the PointGuard as a bumper for the pallet. The shield protects the pallet from damage caused by forklifts or pallet jacks ramming into the end of the platform.

Pallet damage is a costly problem, with each pallet repair costing an average of $2 to $5, not including labor, according to Wayne Randall, president of United Pallet Service.

When the PointGuard was subjected to tests by Virginia Tech's Center for Packaging and Unit Load and Design, it was found to extend the life of the pallet by five times. "That's four pallets that you won't have to buy," says Randall.