Maintaining sustainability in operations is not just an ethical obligation, but a strategic necessity when it comes to cost reduction. Businesses across the board are facing the challenge of minimizing environmental impact while also maintaining cost-effectiveness. In this case study, we will discuss how Millwood helped a customer achieve both of those goals with an innovative and customized solution.
The Problem
This customer was dealing with a large amount of wood waste - over 120 industrial-sized dumpsters’ worth each month. The wood waste ended up in landfills, contributing to
environmental
damage. The company was also incurring disposal fees of $60,000 each month.
Millwood’s Solution
This company was introduced to Millwood through their raw materials partner, who has been a Millwood customer for many years. We introduced a pallet return program, which allowed the customer to return their damaged pallets to a Millwood facility and receive repaired pallets back.
We built a facility dedicated to this program adjacent to the supplier's operation, facilitating seamless logistics and minimizing transport carbon footprints.
Through this program, we aimed to repurpose the company's wood waste into functional pallets, cutting down on the need for new pallet production and drastically reducing wood waste destined for landfills.
Successful Results
This initiative repurposes approximately 7,200 pallets per month, or 93,600 pallets annually, significantly minimizing wood waste.
The cumulative annual savings due to reduced disposal fees and lowered pallet purchasing costs are estimated to be around $2 million.
By integrating a sustainable waste management system and recycling infrastructure, the company is significantly reducing their landfill contributions. Additionally, they have realized substantial cost savings, demonstrating the real-world benefits of implementing sustainable practices in business.
Contact a Millwood representative today
to learn about how our unit load expertise can help you reach your sustainability goals!
