Recycling Pallets!

I would say pallet recycling is becoming a larger and larger part of our business. We are roughly making 1000 a week with just pallets. Here is our pricing structure.

AAA pallet(pallet is in new or near new condition with non stained boards)-4.60/pallet
#1 pallet(pallet is in good shape with stained boards)-4.00/pallet
#1 pallet broken(pallet has broken boards)-2.50/pallet
#2 pallet(pallet has double runners with no broken boards)-2.50/pallet
#2 pallet broken(pallet has double runners with broken boards)-2.00/pallet

These prices are only for 40x48 pallets.

We get most of our stock from goodwill stores as their product comes in they never want boxes or pallets back which is an added bonus for us.

I see guys out here on Long Island from time to time picking up and removing pallets and have been considering going into it myself. Only problem is, I don't know who out here on LI buys pallets. If anyone knows of places that buy pallets on LI, please share them, be a nice branch out here and there instead of doing just metal and e-scrap all the time...

What I did, I used google to search "pallet sales denver" and it showed me who sold them, chances are they buy them too. Call them for a quote

I don't make a ton off of mine. I sell them wholesale to a repair/manufacturer. They are literally on the other Side of the fence, from where I store my trailer. Sometimes trading convince for top dollar saves you valuable time and money driving further than you ought to. Stack em tall in one corner of the trailer, run em over when I need the space for steel.

Skids are an easy sell, there's even people on craiglist buying them. I get around 1$- 2$ skid. You can get more but your buyers are going to have to be retail / consumers. You better have the time and space to doctor them up if you're going to go that route.

Did a google search and there are a couple of places on the island (a couple are a hike from my location, but one is fairly close), probably give them a call and then start my foray into pallet removal/recycling...

Hi I'm new here and just found this thread. I just started my own pallet recycling business about a year ago. I own a small trucking company and haul livestock feed, the feedmills I haul out of are always looking for pallets and the feed stores I haul to are always looking to get rid of pallets. So I pay a flat $2 per pallet, some are in mint condition and some need a board replaced here and there. I also haul lumber for a local truss plant and they have dumpsters full of there scrap 2X4's cut to 4' lengths that I get for free, I also have places that give me there pallets for nothing and there just happy there gone. The best part is I never have to go out of my way or make a special trip to pickup or drop off pallets since I'm going there anyways with the truck & depending on what trailer I pull I can carry 400-600 pallets per load. I get $5.75 per pallet when I sell them which definetly helps the pocket book because trucking is real slow right now. My dad does quite a bit of woodworking so we already had quite a few saws/tools but since I started I've also bought 2 air powerd nail guns, a resaw & a pallet notcher, I'm still in the market for a dismantler though. It is quite a bit of work but if you enjoy doing it it's not really work & you can make some good money doing it too.

I have started saying pallets since reading through this thread. Our family owns a oil company and carwash chain so I have been getting a bunch from motor oil delivery and from parts shipments. I also stop for roadside pallets. Just a word of advice always ask if they don't have a free sign. We get pallets from drums from our petroleum brand with routed rings for drums and they change $60 per pallet we do not return. So be sure you can take them! What's the best kind of company to target for selling used pallets?
Thanks,
hwstem

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Plastic pallets are like a rare coin I keep them for projects

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I couldn't agree more! Light and sturdy, they can really make a day in the warehouse a much better experience. We keep a couple at all times to stack incoming ups deliveries, but I wish everything we got came on a plastic pallet.

The styrofoam ones on the other hand... Not sure who's bright idea that was!

Someone paying for shipping, but not handling the pallets I bet.

Building a Wood Shed from recycled wooden pallets

You can build storage sheds

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Originally Posted by hwstem

What's the best kind of company to target for selling used pallets?
Thanks,
hwstem

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I would say your best bet would be any kind of manufacturing business that ships alot of product out. Whenever I'm out traveling and see pallets sitting someplace I either stop by or call them up and ask if they would like to get rid of there pallets and if they say no then I ask if they would like to buy some pallets. You could also post a craigslist ad, I have 2 craigslist ads posted in my area. One ad looking for pallets and a seperate ad selling pallets, just don't post your asking and selling prices in the ad.


On another note, I'm looking for a pallet dismantling machine............the bandsaw type. Is anybody here familiar with them and can you suggest a good brand of dismantler??

just moved into the nieghborhood and twice ive passed by here on my bike to see a stack of pallets
are these the propersize?
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/844/photo275k.jpg http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/481/photo288s.jpg

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Originally Posted by bluemeate

just moved into the neighborhood and twice ive passed by here on my bike to see a stack of pallets
are these the proper size?

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They look to be, standard is 40X48, you can fit 2 side by side inside of a semi trailer.

you may get less for these because they are not 4 way pallets

Alot of pallet buyers within a 50 mile radius of me. I don't know what you mean by right size. The 48"x40" 4 way in good shape pays the best 3-4.00 ea. they also buy outher sizes just don't pay as much. I don't haul pallets so I don't know all the prices.

My buyer only wants the 40x48 4 way. might check around your area see what they buy.

Maybe it's just me but those look to be bigger than 40"X48" & the fact there not four ways really kills there value. You'd be lucky to get $2 a pallet.

the fact that theyve been sitting along a major street for a couple days really makes me second guess their value

honestly i hate dealing in pallets unless you have a great network setup i find i break even my local pallet buyer pays $1 each (berkeley pallet toms river) and the one in howell pays $2 but it"s 29 miles away

saving them up is a nuisance and evenn though 50 pays $100 my stream is so sparatic i just stopped it wasn"t worth the sore shoulders and weaer and tear to me for $30 after fuel

I haven't touched base on this topic in a while. Needless to say, I haven't gotten into pallets too deep. I think the trick for maximum return on investment for pallets is simply a refurbishing and selling to individuals. Think I just came up with a new Plan!

Every Week on my regular route are numerous pallets, I've been picking up the good ones for my own use in my yard. Quite handy little things. I can market easily on CL for new great condition pallets. Minimum order of 5 pallets at $10 each.

Advantage with small orders: You never need to invest in a large trailer or semi. It never consumes your whole day. You don't need a large inventory or space to hold it all.

I'll give it a shot.

GreenTruck Pallets
New/Used/Recycled