Kamps Inc. is the largest pallet company in North America. It provides smart solutions for every step of the pallet lifecycle. Founded in 1973, the company now handles nearly half a billion pallets each year. It has a network of manufacturing and recycling plants, sawmills, and service sites. This report looks at Kamps’ amazing journey. It covers their start, business model, sustainability efforts, recent acquisitions, and future plans.
We are not affiliated with Kamps Inc. company. Any mention of its name or brand is made solely for the purpose of objective analysis. The opinions presented reflect the author’s personal experience. The use of trademarks and/or logos (if any) is solely for the purpose of criticism and analysis as permitted by Fair Use legislation.
The Kamps Origin Story and Historical Development
The Kamps story started with a bold vision. At just 17, Bernie Kamps began his business in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He sold wood shavings and hauled refuse. Bernie’s business sense showed up when he saw valuable wooden pallets in landfills. He started fixing them right at the disposal sites. This new way of recovering resources built the base for a national pallet empire.
The 1970s marked the company’s formative years of humble beginnings and hard work. Bernie started by fixing pallets at landfills. Then, he moved to his garage and bought the first Kamps truck in 1976. His creative spirit stood out when he invested in one of the first automated pallet machines. This happened after he moved to a rented building. A key moment happened when Bernie bought a new facility in Jenison, MI. This upgrade improved customer service and expanded capabilities.
The 1980s brought continued growth and the establishment of long-term partnerships. Kamps landed its first big pallet contract with a global car maker in Lansing, Michigan. This deal kickstarted its growth throughout the state. To support this growth, operations shifted to a much larger site in Grand Rapids. This change set the stage for many years of ongoing development.
This growth trend went on for decades. It reached a big milestone in 2019 with Freeman Spogli & Co. acquired majority ownership of Kamps. The company owned 25 facilities. It also partnered with more than 60 national pallet partners. They managed more than 100 million pallets each year and served over 1,800 customers.
Corporate Structure and Leadership Evolution
In January 2024, Kamps shared a leadership change. This move prepares the company for its next growth phase. Mitchell Kamps is now the CEO. He has worked at the company for 28 years and is the son of founder Bernie Kamps. Kevin Bailey moved up from Chief Operating Officer to President and COO. Meanwhile, founder Bernie Kamps became Executive Chairman.
This leadership change is a careful succession plan. It keeps the Kamps vision alive and adds new ideas to the executive team. Mitchell Kamps has a lot of experience. He was the President and Executive Vice President of Sales and Operations. In these roles, he managed the acquisition and integration of 15 companies. He also achieved record-breaking sales performance. He is committed to the industry beyond Kamps. He also serves on the board of the Pallet Foundation. This non-profit promotes research, education, and environmental efforts in the pallet sector.
Mitchell said after his promotion, “My father and”
The company now employs about 4,250 people. They work in specialized departments, including:
- Operations (212 employees)
- Sales (64 employees)
- Finance (51 employees)
- Information Technology (29 employees)
- Engineering & Technical (16 employees)
- Human Resources (15 employees)
- C-Suite (7 executives)
Comprehensive Operational Capabilities
Kamps has created the biggest working network in the industry. It has over 400 locations nationwide. This infrastructure includes:
- Manufacturing Facilities: The company runs many pallet plants. They make new custom pallets to exact specifications.
- Recycling Centers: They help pallets last longer by fixing, improving, and reshaping them.
- Company-Owned Sawmills: Owning sawmills helps us control quality and strengthens our supply chain.
- Service Provider Network: Kamps partners with specialized pallet service providers. This extends our reach and boosts our capabilities.
This structure gives a strong competitive edge. Kamps says they are “the nation’s largest maker and service provider for new and recycled pallets.” Their full-service platform offers “local service, on a national scale.” It offers the broad reach of a national provider. Plus, it has the care and flexibility of a local pallet company.
Innovative Product and Service Portfolio
Kamps’ service model covers the entire pallet lifecycle. It offers solutions that boost value and efficiency at each stage:
New Pallet Manufacturing
The company produces high-quality new wooden pallets designed to meet diverse industry requirements. Their capabilities grew a lot with the January 2023 purchase of John Rock, Inc. This company makes more than half a million new pallets every month. They operate in a modern facility that is over 300,000 square feet.
Custom Pallet Design
Kamps employs specialized design software (PDS) to create pallets tailored to specific requirements. This service is particularly valuable for:
- Oversized products that cannot be safely transported on standard pallets
- Overweight products exceeding standard weight capacity
- Supply chains with specific warehouse storage or handling constraints
Total Pallet Management (TPM)
Kamps manages every part of a customer’s pallet operations right at their site. This includes sorting, repairing, and redistributing pallets. The service boosts efficiency. Inefficient pallet programs can waste 15-25% of shipping space. A case study with a big home improvement retailer showed how TPM helped. It boosted cost savings, improved pallet use, and made the program more transparent.
Comprehensive Pallet Life-Cycle Management
Kamps simplifies pallet management by providing one contact for everything. This means customers don’t have to deal with multiple vendors. They run over 60 asset-based locations, 400 partner sites, and 25 on-site customer spots. This approach boosts efficiency, visibility, and saves costs. It also removes the hassle of juggling multiple vendors.
Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainability has become a central component of Kamps’ business model and operational philosophy. The company publishes an annual Environmental Sustainability Report (ESR). This report details its environmental impact and initiatives.
Carbon Footprint Analysis and Improvements
Kamps has significantly enhanced its environmental impact measurement methodology. In 2023, the company switched from historical data to real usage data from providers. This change improved the accuracy of emissions representation. In 2023, their analysis showed emissions of 66,133 metric tons of CO2-equivalent gases.
Impressive Environmental Impact Metrics
The company’s sustainability achievements in 2023 include:
- Recycling over 392 million pallets across all locations
- Generating 10,659,843 tons in carbon offsets
- Producing 41,599 tons of biofuel
- Creating 27,039 MWh of energy through sustainable practices
- Manufacturing 70,000 tons of wooden pellets (enough to heat 28,000 homes for a year)
Sustainable Energy Generation
Kamps has a strategic “End of Life” disposal process. It creates green energy using biofuel. The company sends scrap pallets to co-generation plants. These plants provide power to municipalities, schools, and other facilities. Their wooden pellet products offer a low-carbon heating option. They can replace charcoal, natural gas, and heating oil. Research shows they cut carbon intensity by at least 65% compared to regular fossil fuels.
Industry Collaboration
In late 2024, Kamps became part of the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA). This is a global trade group that focuses on reusable transport packaging products. This membership shows Kamps’ dedication to promoting sustainability. It does this by encouraging teamwork and sharing knowledge in the industry. Tim Deebus, RPA President & CEO, said, “Kamps manages pallets from start to finish. This includes return and repair services.” They also offer closed-loop inventory solutions. This approach highlights the value of reusable systems and extends product utility.”
Strategic Acquisitions and Market Expansion
Kamps has aggressively grown by making strategic acquisitions. Since Freeman Spogli invested in 2019, Kamps has completed 15 transactions. Two particularly significant recent acquisitions have strengthened the company’s market position:
Realm Companies (November 2022)
Kamps bought Realm Companies LLC. This company is based in Newton, Iowa, and is part of Great Range Capital’s portfolio. Realm focuses on making pallets, recovering them, and offering eco-friendly recycling. WestWind Logistics LLC is a subsidiary that provides freight services. They also handle reverse logistics and offer on-site pallet support. This acquisition expanded Kamps’ presence in the Midwest and added significant logistics capabilities. After this transaction, Kamps had 55 asset-based locations. They operated around 8,000 trailers and employed about 3,700 people.
John Rock, Inc. (January 2023)
Kamps boosted its manufacturing power by acquiring John Rock, Inc. This company is based in Coatesville, Pennsylvania and has multiple entities. Founded in 1973, the same year as Kamps, John Rock became a leader in lumber milling. Bill MacCauley acquired the company in 1997. It has strong skills in logistics and makes both new and recycled pallets.
The company’s operations included:
- A top-notch facility spans over 300,000 square feet. It produces more than 500,000 new pallets each month.
- Vertically integrated supply chain and lumber mill capabilities
- A fleet of 65 tractors and over 200 trailers operates in nine states. This covers the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions.
- Five facilities employing approximately 300 people
This acquisition boosted Kamps’ presence in the Mid-Atlantic region. It also improved its vertical integration abilities.
Market Position and Strategic Direction
Kamps is the national leader in customer-focused supply chain services. They achieve this through a smart mix of size, innovation, and great service. The company caters to a wide range of customers in many sectors. These include e-commerce, retail, food and beverage, industrial, logistics, and distribution.
Jon Ralph, a partner at Freeman Spogli, noted the company’s impressive change. He said, “The Kamps family grew a small local business into a national leader in pallet management.” This growth continues with Mitchell Kamps.
Bernie Kamps has three key ideas:
- Great customer service
- Excellent operations
- Team member career growth
The company joined the Reusable Packaging Association. This shows its commitment to leading the industry and promoting sustainable packaging solutions. Kamps is here to assist organizations committed to eco-friendly supply chains. We offer solutions that improve efficiency and provide sustainability benefits.
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