22 WESTERN PALLET
(Cont'd from Page 21)
sales force. There was a sentiment, however, that smaller companies will continue to have an important role to play in the industry.
“There's always going to be a space for small entrepreneurial companies that can react on a dime and make quick decisions. I don't see that changing necessarily, and certainly big is not always good.”
“Consolidation will continue and there's a place for that. But there is also a really strong place for smaller companies that can cater to specific customers and do one off things that perhaps a big company is not willing or can't do.”
Sustainability
There is a recognition that selling carbon credits might provide a revenue opportunity for pallet providers in the future, but not at this point. The Nature’s Packaging website was emphasized as a source of sustainability information, particularly the carbon calculator.
“We use the carbon calculator through nature's packaging and EPA a tremendous amount. We use it for a lot of reporting to our customers. It helps them with their messaging and their environmental story or their footprint. We have several customers are very appreciative of that. It's very powerful.”
A new found appreciation for pallets
Many pallet customers have long taken them for granted, but the supply shortages of 2021 are helping to reframe the narrative around the importance of pallets.
“I think our industry was taken for granted. We got beat up by our customers, and we got beat up by the mills and, you know, so on. But now, a lot of customers say, ’Boy, I had no idea how important you are to moving my product to the supply chain to what your business means to us. And so I think we should all be trying to take advantage of that and making sure that we're communicating that.”