At 48forty Solutions, every facility in our national network is built for speed, sustainability, and operational flexibility. Our Jacksonville, Florida location, Plant 309, offers a behind-the-scenes look at how these values come to life daily. From high-volume pallet repairs to sustainable material recovery and custom builds, this plant showcases the efficient and environmentally conscious approach we bring to pallet management.
Here’s how each area of the Jacksonville plant supports our mission of delivering reliable, scalable pallet solutions.
Receiving and Unloading: Where the Cycle Begins
Operations at Plant 309 start at the receiving and unloading docks, where the team handles approximately 15 to 18 trailer loads each day—both incoming and outgoing. This steady movement of pallets is managed by a coordinated team of forklift operators and supervisors who unload deliveries, stage outgoing shipments, and plan next steps in real time.
Incoming pallets are sorted for their next destination within the plant: reusable pallets head to the repair line, others are sent to the saw shop for dismantling, or to the grinder for conversion into mulch or biofuel.
Custom Pallet Area: Flexible Builds with Reclaimed Materials
Many of our customers require pallets outside the standard 48x40 size, and 48forty meets that demand through a dedicated custom pallet area. Here, the team builds between 40 and 50 different pallet sizes each week to accommodate unique needs across industries like manufacturing, retail, and distribution.
What sets this process apart is the use of recycled lumber. Boards and stringers salvaged from dismantled pallets within the plant are repurposed into these custom builds. This sustainable, closed-loop approach helps reduce waste while keeping material costs efficient for customers.
Grinder Station: Turning Scrap into Sustainable Fuel
Pallets that can’t be repaired or salvaged are processed in the grinder area. This machine converts unusable wood into mulch or biomass, which can be used for biofuel and other sustainable applications.
On average, the Jacksonville team processes about 40 tons of recycled wood every two days—a significant volume of material diverted from landfills. The grinder’s location next to the saw department supports seamless handling of waste materials from other areas of the plant.
Saw Shop: Reclaiming Usable Lumber
The saw shop plays a key role in keeping valuable wood in circulation. Approximately 1,000 pallets are dismantled daily here, and usable boards and stringers are trimmed to size for future use—primarily in custom pallet production.
This process allows the plant to recover high-quality components from pallets that are otherwise non-repairable. It also supports a ready supply of various lumber sizes to meet diverse build requirements.
Band Saw Cut-Down Area: Maximizing Every Piece of Wood
In the band saw cut-down area, the team takes irregular, damaged, or special sized pallets that aren’t fit for resale and cuts them into usable lengths. This extends the utility of each piece of lumber and helps maintain the plant’s ability to fulfill nonstandard orders.
This area directly supports custom pallet production, which makes up about 40% of the plant’s overall output. It’s an essential part of the operation, ensuring even unconventional materials are put to productive use.
Recycled Pallet Repair Line: High Volume with High Standards
The centerpiece of the plant is its recycled pallet repair line, which focuses primarily on 48x40 GMA pallets. The team repairs approximately 4,000 pallets each day, with 10 dedicated builders on the line.
Each pallet is individually inspected and repaired as needed—broken deck boards or stringers are replaced, and then the pallet is graded based on quality standards. A barcode is applied to track the builder, the grade, and the repair itself. From there, the pallet enters an automated system that scans, stacks, and routes it for shipping.
This efficient line ensures that customers receive quality-assured pallets, ready for reuse across a wide range of industries.
Shipping: Precision-Loaded Pallets Ready to Go
Once pallets are repaired or custom-built, they move to the shipping dock. Outbound trailers are carefully loaded with stacks of 22 pallets each, typically resulting in a 660-pallet load per trailer.
The loading team ensures that pallets are stacked and oriented according to customer specifications. With shipping volumes matching the receiving side—up to 18 trailers per day—speed and accuracy are essential to keeping customer supply chains moving smoothly.
From Reclamation to Delivery: A Circular Model in Action
Every step of the process at 48forty’s Jacksonville facility is designed to maximize efficiency, sustainability, and service flexibility. Whether reclaiming thousands of pallets for reuse, grinding wood into renewable fuel, or building custom sizes to spec, 48forty demonstrates how sustainable pallet management works at scale.
Want to learn more about how 48forty Solutions can support your supply chain with recycled or custom pallet solutions? Get in touch to schedule a consultation or plant visit.