PalletOne Inc., America’s largest new pallet manufacturer, recently announced the purchase of Bay Wood Products Inc., a pallet and crate manufacturing business located in Baldwin County on the Alabama Gulf Coast.
“In my heart of hearts, I knew PalletOne was the best option for our employees, customers and the community,” said Jimmy Wilson, founder and a former owner of Bay Wood Products. “They understand what we do, and they know our industry. As I was looking at succession plans, it was very important to me to leave our employees in good hands.”
Plans call for Wilson to serve as general manager of the new PalletOne business in Robertsdale.
With the Bay Wood Products acquisition, the company now employs more than 225 workers at pallet plants in Selma and Robertsdale, and pressure treated wood plants in Athens and Louisville. PalletOne’s combined revenue in Alabama is more than $150 million annually.
Founded Aug. 31, 1994, exactly 25 years to the day of the acquisition, Bay Wood Products serves clients across the U.S. Producing 190 truckloads of pallets per month, the 20-acre facility manufactures wooden pallets, rough-cut lumber, custom crates and mulch. In recent years, sales have reached $23 million annually.
Organized in 2001, PalletOne now operates 18 locations in nine states and manufactures new pallets, provides pallet repair programs, recycles used pallets and produces a variety of other wood products. With national headquarters in Bartow, Florida, PalletOne’s operations include Industrial Recycling Services, SunOne Logistics, and Sunbelt Forest Products Corp., one of the largest producers of pressure-treated lumber and residential fencing in the Southeast. Through its combined operations, PalletOne employs more than 1,500 people across 23 locations. Its annual revenues exceed $500 million annually.
“We are very pleased to welcome such a well-run operation in the southern Alabama market,” said PalletOne CEO Howe Wallace. “Jimmy and the Bay Wood team are well respected in our industry. It’s an honor to move forward with them.”
