Operational details for Florida
Compliance specification
FSMA Section 204 traceability supported on every food-grade load; pallet ID linked to the lumber lot, kiln batch, and dispatch ticket in our chain-of-custody database.
Florida regulatory context
FDA registered facilities in Lakeland and Jacksonville require pallets that meet FDA 21 CFR 178.3520 indirect food additive specification; our food-grade stock is tested for compliance every 90 days.
Plant City packing operations subject to USDA Marketing Order 905 require pallet markings traceable to the originating farm; we apply per-load barcode tags integrated with the Florida Tomato Committee compliance system.
Pallet specification detail
Block pallets (four-way entry) use nine 4-inch hardwood blocks with continuous-face top deck; ideal for ASRS (automated storage and retrieval) and AGV (automated guided vehicle) operations where stringer interruptions cause read-failures.
Standard 48x40 GMA pallets feature 5/8 inch deck boards with a 4-board face pattern; bottom configuration is 3-board for four-way fork entry; nail pattern uses 2.5 inch screw-shank galvanized fasteners.
Delivery and logistics
Flatbed delivery handles oversized loads or pallets with overhanging product; tarping included; preferred for export crates and bulk lumber shipments.
Customer use case
E-commerce fulfillment centers around Orlando and Lakeland use mixed-SKU GMA pallets for inbound, plus pallets-with-cardboard for outbound to last-mile carriers; we coordinate delivery with their dock-scheduling system (FreightSmart, DOCK365).
Pricing context
Buyback pricing for returned pallets: $3-5 per Grade A unit; $1-2 per Grade B; minimum 50-pallet pickup; integrated with our recycling stream for sustainability accounting.
Sustainability
Our Lakeland and Jacksonville recycling streams process 200,000+ pallets per year; broken stock is repaired or chipped for mulch (sold separately); zero-landfill goal targeted for 2027.
