Finding the simplest solution is something that Karl Millsap, owner of Blue Ridge Pallet LLC, strives to do. Whether it involves software, the company’s grinding operation or facility management, simpler is usually better. His recycling facility, located near the picturesque Blue Ridge mountains, is efficient and designed to maximize production.
The company’s latest facility improvement involves a complete revamping of its grinding operation. Millsap and his team turned to Brad Boulware and the experts at Boulware Equipment LLC to design a new grinding system featuring a Cresswood model XR600-100 grinder. Boulware handled the entire process, from system design to installation and start-up training. The Boulware team even helped Blue Ridge find new markets for its regrind material.
Redesigning the Grinding Operation to Improve Handling Efficiency
Before the new system, Blue Ridge employees took pallet waste and boards outside and dumped them into a pile. Usually, they would wait a few days to process everything through a horizontal grinder in a batch feeding approach.
Karl Millsap, founder and owner of Blue Ridge Pallet, recalled, “We found that we had forklift operators outside for a good portion of the day as well as grinder operators. This approach made supervision difficult and added to the complexity of our handling process.”
Karl looked through industry trade publications, especially the Pallet Enterprise, for other solutions. He knew that he wanted a consistent grind and a low-RPM grinder that would need less maintenance.
Jake Millsap, the plant manager and Karl’s son, said, “We look for the simplest solution where possible. The most complicated part of our process was the grinder, and we just simplified it.”
Boulware Equipment developed an innovative system designed to eliminate handling. Karl explained, “Instead of taking our scrap outside to the grinder, now we’re able to keep everybody inside the building. We took one of our dock doors and put the grinder in it. All of our employees are able to stay in the building as they feed the grinder. Then the grinder grinds the scrap. The system moves chips outside where they are blown directly into a walking floor trailer.”
Brad Boulware, president of Boulware Equipment, said, “We designed a system that is completely enclosed and sealed. Our grinding and bulk trailer loading system efficiently processes and transports material so it can run continuously.”
Karl recalled, “Brad has done a lot of these grinders, and it shows. His team was on time and on budget. He did a great job.”
Boulware commented, “Our system automated scrap handling, reduced labor, addressed safety concerns, eliminated wood scrap disposal costs and improved space utilization. It was a true win for his operation.”
One way that Boulware helps pallet companies is by eliminating wood scrap disposal costs. Jessica Boulware provided a number of leads that helped Blue Ridge Pallet find a new buyer for its wood chips.
Blue Ridge Pallet also grinds up material to produce landscape mulch, but the company is transitioning more of that material to producing wood chips for boiler fuel. Karl suggested that after the mulch market took off last year, it has recently come back to earth and is down significantly. It could pick up during the spring and summer, but he doesn’t expect the volumes to be anywhere near as high as last year.
Jake admitted, “The Boulware system is a pretty impressive setup. It’s compact. The old approach was too big and required too much maintenance.” So far, the new system looks like it will save operational costs. Jake explained, “With the high price of diesel, the old grinder process is more expensive compared to the new all-electric grinder.” He added, “The old grinder required a mechanically inclined operator. Anyone can run this new Cresswood grinder. Heck, I couldn’t think of a single person that couldn’t do it, and it’s just easier.”
The Boulware approach began with assessing the needs of Blue Ridge Pallet. Then the team designed a system and organized the installation and setup process. Boulware provided details for needed concrete and electrical work as well as trailers for bulk merchandising of metal-free wood chips. When you work with Boulware Equipment, you are partnering with an AVETTA (www.avetta.com) certified supplier.
Pallet Load Manager Software Organizes Production
Blue Ridge Pallet started when Karl Millsap saw a business opportunity. He drove a truck in the Waynesboro area his entire life and encountered customers asking about pallets. In 2005, the trucking company he worked for shut down, and Karl found himself needing a job. He laughed, “I started a business because I needed a job, and we have 40 employees producing about 50 truckloads per week now.”
The recycler produces mainly GMA pallets and a few truckloads of odd-sized pallets every week. Analyzing the current market, Karl commented, “Demand for GMAs remains strong compared to supply. Fortunately, we have a fairly stable labor supply because we pay our people well. Our highest performers earn an hourly wage plus bonuses.”
Another way the company retains its workforce is by treating people well and understanding their need for flexibility. Karl explained, “The market has changed. People not only want to be paid well, but they also want flexibility for days off and time with their families. I think that’s more important to an employee now than an hourly wage. So, we offer flexibility when workers want days off.”
The key to managing the business as it has grown is the recent development of the Pallet Load Manager (PLM) software. This web-based program is a very simple Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system designed specifically by Karl and his team for his operation. He explained, “ We looked at the software on the market a few years back, and we just didn’t see anything that fit our operation. We wanted something simpler.”
Blue Ridge Pallet commissioned a software developer to write the code and setup the ERP. Karl outlined, “PLM assists in daily operations. It connects a customer via a portal all the way through the administrative process and to the forklift drivers on the plant floor. A monitor in the mill lets forklift operators know what pallets to load, how many to load, and what trailer to load them onto.”
When Blue Ridge first built the system, it used Google Docs, which is basically a Microsoft spreadsheet. Then the company developed the software into a full ERP that links customers, management, the plant floor, and trucking to the whole operation. PLM enables the customer to track pallets purchased and cores supplied to the recycler. They can access the information 24/7 online through a client portal.
Data has become a key part of servicing customers, especially in the recycling market. Karl admitted, “Good help is hard to find today. Pallet recyclers 20 years ago were able to overcome obstacles by adding more employees. Now, with employees in short supply, software is critical to managing operations and supplying customers.”
Blue Ridge Pallet designed its ERP to be web-based with the hopes to sell the software to other pallet companies in the future. He is looking for a partner of selling the program and market it to recyclers, he said.
Speaking about the biggest benefit of PLM, Karl said, “I think the way it connects everybody, it’s simple. It’s something that people don’t mind using. A lot of software tends to get overly complicated, and most of the functions are rarely used.”
Blue Ridge Pallet – Plant Flow
Inbound cores are taken directly to the repair tables. The forklift operator does a little bit of sortation to remove odd-sized material or rental pallets. Forklifts are set up in zones. PLM lets forklift operators know if a particular trailer is usually mixed loads or mostly GMAs. Based on this information, loads are taken to various parts of the plant for repair, sort or disassembly.
Blue Ridge Pallet developed its own repair line that feeds into a series of Bronco stackers. These line operators either repair a pallet or send it down the line to the stackers. Bar codes are attached to pallets to indicate stacker selection input. A scanner reads the labels and controls the final stacker selection. Along the line, there are two stations with spinning tables where workers build combo pallets.
Karl selected Bronco due to its durability and simplicity. He stated, “Bronco stackers are simple, basic. They’ve held up well. Morris Self of Bronco is responsive and easy to get in touch with.”
In the tear down area, two Wood-Mizer Pallet Hawgs are used to dismantle pallets. Recycled boards are put on a conveyor and taken to trim saws where operators manually trim and stack boards. Blue Ridge Pallet has one of the first Pallet Hawgs that Brad Kirkaldy of Wood-Mizer designed.
Karl said, “The best feature of the Pallet Hawgs is that the table goes up and down. This makes everything easier for the operator.”
He added, “We tend to just buy the same brand of equipment. All of our trucks are Freightliners; all of our forklifts are Toyotas; and for dismantlers, both are Pallet Hawgs by Wood-Mizer. Using the same brands helps us limit the amount of parts inventory we have to keep on hand. Plus, everyone is familiar with the equipment. Our whole process is simple and standardized.”
Hard Work & Consistency – Blue Ridge Philosophy
Karl credits his team for working hard to deliver for customers. He declared, “I feel that our employees are better than our competitors. Our pallet quality and our software set us apart from our competitors. Moving pallets is simple. We just do it a little better.”
Many of the employees have worked in the plant for years. Blue Ridge Pallet is truly a family business. Karl remembered, “Pallets are a big part of my life. It seems like we’re always looking at pallets or looking for potential customers even while on a road trip. My son and my daughter have both worked for me since they were young.” Karl’s son, Jake, still works in the business and is critical to its success.
Having grown up in the business, Jake has done just about every job in the plant at some point. He has been with the company for about 14 years. He said. “What makes Blue Ridge Pallet successful is the employee focus on serving customers and helping everyone achieve those goals.”
From the new grinder system to the software development to optimizing the plant flow, everything focuses on efficiency. Karl said, “Our manpower per pallet produced has gone down over the last few years. Our building is fairly compact, and our process is efficient.”
Looking to the future, Karl predicted, “We’ve grown every year that we’ve been in business since 2005, and we look to continue to grow. Possibly over the next few years, I could see us trying to acquire other facilities in some key markets regionally.”
