DAJC Learns about Pallets

Members of the Development Authority of Jasper County (DAJC) received an education on pallet making at their meeting Tuesday, and later several of them toured Pallet Acquisitions in north Jasper County.

Jeff Lewis of Pallet Acquisitions spoke to the DAJC about his company’s growth since located in Jasper County in 1998. He also talked about this challenges. He said he will hire Jasper Countians that come to him for work, as long as they can pass a drug test.

The drug usage concern was echoed by Ed Williams, director of Human Resources for Georgia Pacific in Monticello, and a new member of the Board of Directors for the DAJC.

Both men elaborated on the problems they have finding persons willing to work who can pass a drug test. Mr. Lewis said his company offers skilled and unskilled jobs, and does its own training, and no special skills are required to begin work there. However, he has difficulty finding employees willing to be drug-free. He currently employees about 65 people at the local plant.

Rusty Bullard, chairman of the authority, also echoed their concerns and added the problem of hiring employes with no past severe driving problems, such as driving under the influence.
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Pallet Acquisitions attempts to provide a superior level of service to its customers, said Mr. Lewis. He explained that the standard pallet size is 48×40. One-third of all pallets used in the United States are that size. No one other size makes up more than one percent of the remaining market.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Mr. Bullard was voted chairman for the next year, with Andrew Thompson serving as vice-chair. Mr. Williams and Joan Bell will team up to pursue the entrepreneur-friendly designation for the community.

Authority members approved spending money for promotional materials which they agree are badly needed. The funds will come from a grant that the authority has received to study expansion of the industrial park. The authority anticipates having enough funds to do both, and both are appropriate uses of the funds.