SUSTAINABILITY

SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT

At Tree Brand Packaging, sustainability is the cornerstone of our operations and strategic vision. We are deeply committed to minimizing our environmental impact, maintaining ethical business practices, and ensuring a safe and supportive working environment. Our goal is to create sustainable pallets and packaging solutions that are low in carbon impact, resource-efficient, and responsibly sourced.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF WOOD PALLETS

Wood pallets offer substantial environmental advantages throughout their lifecycle. Our commitment to sustainability is reinforced by the initiative Nature’s Packaging, led by the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association. This initiative provides fact-based insights into the environmental benefits of choosing wood packaging.

Wooden pallets and crates are essential for transporting goods due to their strength, durability, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility. Importantly, wood is a renewable resource that requires minimal energy to produce compared to other materials. Through photosynthesis, trees capture CO2 and convert it into wood using only sunlight and water.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, hardwood tree populations have increased by 119% since 1953, with a growth-to-removal ratio of 2.00. Additionally, 1.7 billion trees are planted annually in the U.S., averaging over five trees per person.

KEY ELEMENTS OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

  1. Pallet Production: Wood pallets require less energy to produce than plastic alternatives and offer diverse options in size and strength. Kiln-dried lumber provides lightweight strength, while rough-sawn hardwood supports heavier loads and durability.
  2. Employee Engagement: Our employees are integral to our success. With an average tenure of 7 years, they receive comprehensive training in safety, forklift operation, and maintenance through both internal and external resources, including state manufacturing programs.
  3. Sustainable Sourcing: We are dedicated to responsible stewardship of our natural resources. We prioritize sourcing from sustainable forests, maintaining a ratio of kiln-dried to rough-sawn wood of 2:1. Our primary measure for forest management is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. We also work with sustainable partners for any wood sourced outside the U.S., particularly from South America.  Our block pallets use sustainable blocks made from recycled wood waste.
  4. Technological Advancements: We utilize next-generation automated pallet Nailers and integrate Industry 4.0 technologies with our international partners to enhance productivity and reduce energy consumption. We are exploring robotics, autonomous forklifts, and automated defect detection to further optimize our operations.
  5. Energy and Logistics: We are pursuing greater energy independence through initiatives like solar panels and advanced energy-efficient equipment. We have also invested in battery-powered forklifts and are implementing modern trucking solutions to minimize our logistical footprint.
  6. Waste Management: At our Newton, NC facility, we operate an Air Burner FireBox to efficiently process wood waste. This technology burns waste 40 times faster than traditional methods, significantly reducing smoke and particulate matter. The resulting ash is repurposed for soil enhancement or agricultural use.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE AIR BURNER FIREBOX

The Air Burner is designed to burn wood waste quickly using “air curtain” technology to eliminate most of the particulate matter (smoke) created while burning.  The FireBox burns wood waste 40x faster than an open burn while the air pollution control technology significantly reduces smoke and particulate matter. At the end of our burning cycle, we are left with less than 2% of the original waste pile and this ash can be turned into the soil or given to our local agricultural industry.