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The 20th anniversary edition of Pallets a North American Perspective
DECEMBER 2023
Behind the Scenes: Celebrating Manufacturing Month at Rotochopper
In October, the Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association (CMMA) hosted a virtual tour of manufacturing, showcasing Rotochopper's advanced manufacturing facility. This event highlighted the integration of automation and robotics in manufacturing and the high-quality equipment produced at the facility.
The tour attracted several student groups, offering them a firsthand view of the manufacturing industry's opportunities. These groups included the West Stearns CEO class, the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (BBE) high
school welding class, and the Kimball high school small engines class.
On October 12, the West Stearns CEO class visited Rotochopper as a part of their business development and process course. Later in the month, the BBE welding class toured the facility, engaging actively and inquiring about equipment building processes, job opportunities, working hours, wages, and benefits.
The Kimball small engines class concluded the student tours on October 24. They showed particular interest in
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the panel/electrical shop, learning about the intricate process of assembling a panel for a Rotochopper machine and discussing the telematics used in the equipment.
Rotochopper also participated in the EPIC (Exploring Potential Interest & Careers) event at the end of October. Here, Rotochopper employees engaged with students about careers in welding and manufacturing. The company contributed steel cutouts for a hands-on welding project, and its employees assisted in teaching welding techniques.
This series of events showcased the dynamic and evolving nature of the manufacturing industry. It underscored the industry's technological advancement, sustainable practices, and the many career opportunities it offers, celebrating the diversity of modern manufacturing.
November proved to be a busy month for pallet merger & acquisition activity in Colorado. In early November, Conner Industries, Inc., a leading provider of lumber, industrial wood crates & pallets, and integrated packaging solutions, announced the acquisition of Denver Reel & Pallet Company, a custom wooden crate and pallet business in Denver, Colorado. The acquisition marks the company’s first investment in the Rocky Mountain industrial packaging market and its second major investment since July 2023.
Shortly thereafter, Conner announced that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with another Colorado firm, Anderson Pallet and Crate (APAC). In the new formation, Conner Colorado, LLC, the company will be contributing the assets of its previous acquisition of Denver Reel & Pallet (DRPC), while Anderson Pallet and Crate will contribute their own assets to the joint venture.
Both locations will operate under President, Jason Anderson, and will continue under their current business names of Denver Reel & Pallet and Anderson Pallet and Crate, respectively. This is Conner’s second investment into the Rocky Mountain industrial pallet and crate market this month, enlarging the company’s overall footprint in the West.
“This joint venture with Anderson Pallet and Crate aligns our products and services with the needs of our customers, and is an outstanding strategic development for Conner,” said David Dixon, CEO of Conner Industries.
With forty years in the pallet and crate business, Anderson Pallet and Crate specializes in highly complex industrial packaging. The 20,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, located in Sedalia, Colorado, is minutes from I-25, just south of Denver, and comes with a team of twenty employees. With recent investments in new automation equipment for processing lumber and assembled items, the joint venture is expected to be highly successful for both parties.
“As a leading provider of industrial packaging, we believe Conner, and the assets of Denver Reel & Pallet, makes for a perfect joint venture partnership for Anderson Pallet and Crate,” stated Jason Anderson, of Anderson Pallet and Crate, and new President of both APAC and DRPC. “With our common growth mindset, I’m excited to lead these two great companies as they continue to expand their reach into growing markets in the Rocky Mountain region.”
Conner Industries Joint Venture with Anderson Pallet and Crate