The city of Denver has utilized "pallet shelters"—rapidly deployable, 70-to-120-square-foot units—to provide immediate, dignified housing for individuals experiencing homelessness.
This has sparked a "side-hustle" economy where locals buy pallets of customer returns or overstock to resell for a profit.
Under the leadership of the Ruder family, the company transformed its culture, reducing turnover from 300% to less than 10% by adopting a mission-driven approach to business.
At the center of Denver's pallet history is the story of , a company that redefined the industry by focusing on people over raw numbers.
Companies like Frisco Pallet Materials and C & C Pallet Remanufacturing have operated for over 30 to 40 years, keeping thousands of tons of wood out of Colorado landfills.
For many Denverites, buying pallets isn't about shipping logistics—it's about the "Holiday Hustle."
