Reconditioned pallet supplier

Local warehouses, manufacturers, distributors, farms and food producers that need affordable, standard-size pallets.

You sell repaired pallets per unit, usually at a lower price than new. You may also earn from pickup fees, buying back used pallets and selling scrap wood.

• Hands-on repair work and basic tools
• Sorting and grading by quality and size
• Driving and loading
• Building relationships with business buyers

• Check zoning and municipal rules for storing pallets outdoors, including limits on stacking height
• Fire safety: stacked wood is a fire risk, so check requirements with your local fire department and insurer
• Commercial general liability and property insurance, and workers' compensation (WCB/WSIB) once you hire; check your province's rules
• Buyers in food and export trades may ask for heat-treated pallets (ISPM 15), so check what applies before offering them
• Heavy lifting, nail injuries and forklift use: check provincial training requirements
• Winter slows some business and snow can make stock harder to move, so plan storage and cash flow

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your yard or unit, your truck or trailer and your tools. Your choices on equipment and storage space will move you within that range.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many pallets you collect, repair and sell, and your local buyers. Winter can slow some business, so plan your storage and cash flow.

Check zoning and municipal rules for outdoor pallet storage, and fire safety requirements with your fire department and insurer. Also check insurance, workers' compensation once you hire, provincial forklift training, and whether buyers need heat-treated (ISPM 15) pallets.