Pallets are so common in our world that people pay them very little attention – often just throwing them away. But they are a valuable commodity and always in demand – which is exactly why there are so many of them everywhere. Pallets are highly reusable, so every pallet that gets returned to the supply chain saves money. This is where you can step in and make a good few dollars, as well as save unnecessary waste from heading to a landfill tip. Big warehouse operations and logistics firms naturally have systems in place to collect pallets together once their freight has been unloaded, sending the used pallets straight back into service.
But smaller businesses – especially those that simply receive goods on pallets – do not have any good disposal methods open to them except for throwing them into the dumpster. Which is where an enterprising individual can make good extra cash as a side hustle by solving several problems at once. By making good relationships with local businesses that get supplies delivered by pallet – furniture shops, builder’s merchants, small construction firms, garages and the like – you will probably find they are all too happy for you to drop by and haul away the pallets they find piling up.
They may not get huge numbers of them which is why it is not worth their time to arrange for their return – but if you are willing to put in a few hours for several small businesses you will soon have your own cash generating pallet recycling business. Set up a regular route round your suppliers – they will soon get in the habit of just putting the ones they receive to one side for you – then head straight to a pallet distribution company. These firms deal in pallets. They make them, repair them, rent them, sell them, and even turn ones beyond any useful life into garden mulch.
So many of them are very happy to pay you for old pallets someone else has chucked out.Naturally, the amount of money you make on the pallets will depend on several factors – the condition of the pallet first and foremost. Is it in good condition and ready to go straight back on the road? Or will it need repairs? Or is it ready for the chipper? The size of the pallet makes a difference too – the logistics industry works to various standards and the more the pallet conforms the better, but there is always the need for custom built pallets too. Make sure you spend time building relationships – never just take a pile of pallets you think is fair game. They do belong to someone and just taking them is theft.
Many businesses will only be too glad to have a problem solved for them, but others will already have plans for their pallets. If you have space to store the pallets you acquire, you can soon make a pile large enough to be worth the trip to a pallet company. Make yourself a useful supplier to them and you will find you get paid readily and often in cash.
Done well, becoming a pallet middleman really can be a win-win-win situation – easy and free disposal for small businesses, regular supply to the pallet company and cash for you, all while recycling rather than landfilling.