FGS is a big name in the agriculture industry. After all, we’ve been around for over 100 years. First created to serve Sunkist’s supply chain needs, Fruit Growers Supply has since expanded to serve the public across our many operating areas. Between offering state-of-the-art irrigation services to constructing corrugated boxes to help get your products safely to market, we provide solutions for our customers beyond agricultural supplies.
The Pallet Plant Expands To Other Industries
One of our specialties is our pallet plant, where our experts produce wooden pallets from high-quality, sustainably-sourced hardwood and softwood. FGS is one of the top pallet manufacturers on the West Coast and, traditionally, has provided pallets that go to packing houses in the agriculture industry. Recently, the pallet plant has been expanding to serve diverse customers across different industries, while also offering reconditioned pallets that extend a pallet’s lifespan and increase its sustainability.
Jim Williams is the Sales Manager for the Supply Division of Fruit Growers Supply and has been instrumental in expanding the pallet plant’s clientele far beyond agriculture. “We do a lot in the grape industry and stone fruit during the summertime, but that’s a seasonal business,” he says. “Recently, we’ve gained traction in different year-round businesses.”
What Diverse Industries Can The Pallet Plant Serve?
The pallet plant has been building a more prominent presence in the beverage industry, expanding from its long-term beverage supplier to multiple other new customers in the beverage market. “Another area we’re seeing success is the pet food industry,” explains Williams. “Bagged pet food is placed in pallets robotically, and our pallets are helping their systems.” Another player in the pet industry has been using FGS pallets to transport cat litter. “There are numerous year-round businesses with these industrial goods that are using our pallet now,” Williams adds.
Williams and his team are always looking for other customers for whom the pallet plant might be a good fit. One area they’ve recently expanded into is preserved food with canned and frozen goods. Although the plant continues to serve Sunkist’s needs, Williams is thrilled by the increased workload that has come from other clients. Serving the open market has kept the pallet plant busy — so busy, in fact, that Sunkist no longer accounts for the majority of the plant’s business. Williams is hopeful about the opportunities to connect with more customers in this space. “There’s a lot of business out there,” he says, “and we’re just getting our feet wet.”
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