Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1505351
26 PalletCentral • July-August 2023 palletcentral.com prerequisites. is is the reason more and more companies are turning to U.S. lumber for their products. Our niche market in Mexico is the pallet and crating industry. ese pallets are made from all-natural wood. e vast majority of pallets produced will be recycled and used multiple times. Once a pallet has ended its useful life, it's ground into sawdust and grindings, then allowed to decompose and be used in mulch or organic fertilizer. Lumber is considered a sustainable natural resource. Another way we help protect the environment is by working with sawmills that work with the U.S. Forest Service to thin and manage the National Forest. inning the forest helps manage fire danger in the high-risk months of the year. We are proud to purchase and export this lumber to Mexico. We're proud to partner with several sawmills that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, a nonprofit that promotes responsible management of the world's forests via timber certification for sustainability. Yusuf Ali CEO, AAA Pallet AAA Pallet in Houston, Texas, prioritizes sustainability. In a time where environmental consciousness is increasingly important, our company has established excellent groundwork to be at the forefront of sustainability in our industry. Our customers increasingly emphasize their desire for eco-friendly practices throughout their supply chains. By aligning ourselves with their sustainability goals, we foster strong relationships and demonstrate our commitment to responsible business practices. One of our key aspects of sustainability is the utilization of every piece of wood that comes into our plant. Specifically, in our tear-down operations, we strive for 100% utilization of dismantled pallets. Historically we have discarded any less-than-ideal stringer (think: low profile, short, notched odd size) and shorter boards. We save these now to benefit a customer who can take advantage of lower- priced, custom-size pallets built in nontraditional specifications. We actively engage with our employees to improve our sustainability practices. By soliciting their ideas, we tap into their "on-the-floor" knowledge. Often we were surprised at how much we were missing. Using different lengths and types of lumber to reduce waste and increase yield are already top priorities. Still, sometimes there is a disconnect between what we think certain lumber products can yield to what they do produce in our processes. Recently a simple tweak on size usage has not only saved us on our cut-offs that would have gone to waste but also improved the efficiency of saw usage. While sustainability is one of our core goals, we have observed that it can lead to improved profitability. is serves as a testament to the fact that sustainability and financial success are not mutually exclusive but can go hand in hand. By embracing this new wave of sustainability and finding win-win solutions, we create a greener future while fostering business growth. Ben Timmons Product Line Manager, Millwood Millwood, Inc. has a comprehensive approach to establishing environmental sustainability and compliance through the tracking, measure- ment and reporting of key indicators. By effectively monitoring the below Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Millwood aims to achieve long-term environmental stewardship. KPIs for Environmental Sustainability & Compliance 1. Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Millwood is developing a system to track and measure its greenhouse gas emissions. e data will be analyzed regularly to identify emission sources, set reduction targets, and implement appropriate mitigation measures. 2. Tons of Wood Waste Material Diverted from Landfills: An efficient tracking system is being implemented to quantify the amount of wood waste material diverted from landfills. Once a pallet has ended its useful life, it's ground into sawdust and grindings, then allowed to decompose and be used in mulch or organic fertilizer. —Arturo Guerrero One of our key aspects of sustainability is the utilization of every piece of wood that comes into our plant. —Yusuf Ali