Pallet Recycling

Gruber Pallets has been recycling wood pallets for over 40 years from our facility in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. We offer full-service pallet recycling, pickup, and buyback for businesses throughout the Twin Cities metro and Greater Minnesota. Whether you have a handful of pallets stacking up on your dock or truckloads coming off the line daily, we'll take them off your hands — and in many cases, pay you for them.

Our recycling operation keeps usable wood out of landfills. Pallets that arrive at our facility are sorted, inspected, and either repaired for resale or broken down into raw lumber for new pallet production. Every board that can be reused gets reused. What can't be repaired becomes mulch, animal bedding, or biomass fuel — nothing goes to waste.

Pallet pickup: We schedule regular pickups from your facility on a cadence that fits your volume — weekly, biweekly, or on-call. Our trucks service the entire Twin Cities metro, from Minneapolis and St. Paul to Eagan, Burnsville, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Woodbury, and beyond. We're located right off I-94 and I-694 in Lake Elmo, so delivery and pickup routes across the metro are efficient.

Pallet buyback: If your pallets are in reusable condition — standard 48×40 GMA pallets with intact stringers and minimal board damage — we'll buy them. Pricing depends on condition and volume, but businesses with consistent volume can turn pallet disposal from a cost into a revenue stream. Call (651) 436-1912 for a buyback quote.

Pallet disposal: Damaged, odd-size, or non-standard pallets that can't be resold? We'll still take them. We dismantle and reclaim the lumber, keeping wood waste out of your dumpster and out of the landfill. Disposal fees are competitive and well below what most waste haulers charge for bulky wood items.

Looking to buy rather than dispose? Recycled pallets are an excellent option for businesses that need reliable pallets at a lower cost. Our recycled pallets are inspected, repaired to spec, and graded before they leave our facility. Recycled pallets start as low as $6, with volume discounts available for larger orders.

We carry standard 48×40 recycled pallets in both Grade A (like-new condition, minimal repair) and Grade B (functional with visible wear). For businesses shipping domestically where appearance isn't critical, recycled pallets deliver the same performance at a fraction of the cost of new. If you need heat treated pallets for export, we offer those too — both new and recycled options.

Our recycling program serves manufacturers, warehouses, distribution centers, retailers, and food processors across the Twin Cities. We work with businesses along the I-94 corridor from St. Paul through Woodbury and Lake Elmo, the I-35 corridor from Burnsville through Bloomington to Brooklyn Park, and everywhere in between. Whether you're a small shop generating 20 pallets a week or a distribution center moving thousands, we scale our service to your operation.

Industries we commonly serve include food and beverage, automotive parts, consumer goods, building materials, and pharmaceutical distribution. Many of our recycling customers also purchase new or recycled pallets from us, creating a closed-loop system that saves money and reduces waste.

Do you pick up pallets for free?
In many cases, yes. If you have standard 48×40 pallets in reusable condition and sufficient volume, pickup is free — we may even pay you through our buyback program. For damaged or non-standard pallets, a small disposal fee may apply. Call (651) 436-1912 and we'll evaluate your situation.

What condition do pallets need to be in for buyback?
We buy standard 48×40 GMA pallets with intact stringers, no broken or missing deckboards, and no significant rot or contamination. Minor wear is fine — that's what recycled pallets look like. Pallets with chemical contamination, pest damage, or heavy rot are accepted for disposal but not buyback.

How many pallets do I need to qualify for pickup?
We typically pick up loads of 50+ pallets per trip to keep the service cost-effective. If your volume is smaller, we can arrange less frequent pickups or you're welcome to drop off at our Lake Elmo facility at 11490 Hudson Blvd N, Lake Elmo, MN 55042.

What areas do you serve for pallet recycling?
We serve the entire Twin Cities metro and surrounding areas within roughly 60 miles of Lake Elmo. This includes Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Eagan, Burnsville, Brooklyn Park, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Woodbury, Stillwater, and all suburbs in between. For locations beyond the metro, request a quote and we'll work out logistics.

Can I buy and recycle pallets through the same account?
Absolutely. Many of our customers do exactly this. We deliver new or recycled pallets to your facility, then pick up your empties on the return trip. It's the most efficient way to manage your pallet supply chain — one vendor, one truck, zero waste.