Custom new pallet workshop
Build new pallets to order in odd sizes or heavy-duty specs for local manufacturers and shippers.
- $10k-50k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
2,793 US businesses with employees in this field, +0.9% in a year
NAICS 321920 “Wood container and pallet manufacturing”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small workshop where you cut lumber and build new pallets to a customer's size and load rating. You can also make heat-treated pallets for export and crates for odd or heavy products.
Your first three steps
- Ask local manufacturers what pallet sizes and specs they struggle to buy, and get lumber quotes from nearby sawmills
- Rent a small workshop or unit and set up a cutting station with a saw and pneumatic nailer
- Build sample pallets, price them per unit and offer a first order to a few local businesses
Who pays
Local manufacturers, machinery makers, food and drink producers, and exporters that need non-standard or certified pallets.
How it makes money
You charge per pallet or per batch, priced on lumber cost, labor and the spec. Repeat orders from a few steady customers keep the shop busy.
Skills that help
- Woodworking and use of a pneumatic nailer
- Reading specs and load requirements
- Quoting jobs accurately
Watch out for
- Zoning and fire code for a wood workshop, check with your city or county
- Machine guarding and dust safety, check OSHA guidance
- Heat treatment and stamping (ISPM 15) rules for export pallets, check your state agriculture department and the relevant inspection program
- Lumber price swings that can squeeze margins on fixed-price quotes
- General liability and property insurance, and workers' compensation once you hire
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: custom new pallet workshop
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a pallet-making business?
Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your workshop space, tools and nailing equipment, and how much lumber you buy to start. Insurance is another cost to plan for.
How much can a custom pallet workshop earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on order size, customer mix and lumber prices. Lumber price swings can squeeze margins on fixed-price quotes, so quote carefully.
What rules apply to a pallet workshop?
Check zoning and fire code for a wood workshop with your city or county, and OSHA guidance on machine guarding and dust safety. For export pallets, check heat treatment and ISPM 15 stamping rules with your state agriculture department.
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