London — After carrying the weight of the global economy since World War 2 with little fanfare, the lowly shipping pallet is finally commanding some respect.

Demand for the platforms used to haul nearly every consumer good or industrial ingredient is soaring amid a surge in e-commerce, forcing retailers and manufacturers to expand warehouses or pile inventories higher. At the same time, two keys to production — cheap lumber and labour — are scarce, and even nail costs are rising...

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