Charlotte region, NC and SC I-85 I-77 I-40
I-85I-77
If gaylords pile up at your receiving dock, describe the stack and we say what can go back into use and what is OCC. The request asks for the count, the pallet footprint, the wall count and the condition. That is enough to start.
Truck plants, parts makers, textile mills, plastics lines and distribution centers all receive freight in gaylords. The box arrives full and leaves the line empty, and a plant that runs a few dozen a week ends up tripping over them. A good share are single trip boxes, still square, still dry, still rated. The common mistake is to treat them all as cardboard. Most of them are still containers, and another plant on I-85 or I-77 may be asking for exactly that footprint.
We match what you describe against boxes that buyers in the region are asking for. Some stacks have a clear next home. Some are a mix, so describe each part. Some are OCC and we say so, because wet or crushed boxes are worth their fiber as OCC and not as containers. About 96.5 percent of corrugated boxes were recycled in 2018 (source), and the baler is a good end for a box that is done.
| Condition | What to look for | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Single trip | Dry, square, flaps and bottom intact | Reuse, same or similar job |
| Good | Wear, creasing, old labels | Reuse, lighter duty |
| Functional | Heavy creasing, taped repairs | One-way internal use or scrap |
| Recycle only | Wet, torn, crushed, no bottom | OCC |
How you store empties decides their grade. Knocked-down boxes on a pallet, under a roof, off the floor, keep their value. Boxes left outside soak up humidity; corrugated can lose about half of its compression strength when humidity rises from 50 to 90 percent (source). The folding and storing guide shows the steps.
Who buys used gaylords answers the first question sellers ask. Recycling covers the reuse versus OCC decision, and pickup covers what to prepare before a truck arrives.
The form below is the same one buyers use. Say what you have and where it is.
Four things: a single footprint, a single wall count, a dry floor and a clear count. A mixed pile is not a problem, but it needs to be described as several lines, one for each kind of box. If a few boxes are damaged, set them aside and describe them separately. If the stack has been outside, say for how long. The easier you make the description, the faster the answer.
You do not need to wash, repair or tape the boxes. You do not need to take photos before writing. You do not need to know the grade; describe what you see, and we say what it is. You do not need to pick a buyer. The request is read, and the answer says what can be matched, what is better recycled and what to do next.
Six kinds of seller come up most, and each needs something different. Plastics compounders, resin processors and recyclers want a steady supply of octagonal or partial-bottom gaylords for pellets and regrind, often by the truckload. Warehouses, 3PLs and fulfillment centers want a way to clear stacks of single trip boxes from inbound freight. Manufacturers of parts and metal goods want full-bottom 4‑wall or 5‑wall boxes, often a few dozen at a time. Scrap operations want Grade C boxes for one-way shipping. Produce growers want octabins at harvest. Packaging engineers at automotive and defense suppliers want expendable gaylords on a 48-inch footprint. Say which of these you are, and the request reads itself.
Give a count for each size and each wall count. Say how many pallets they stand on, whether they are flat, stacked or knocked down, and where they are. A line such as 60 triple-wall 48 x 40 x 36, flat, in a covered dock, is worth more to a buyer than a general description.
Yes. Print and old labels usually lower the grade to Grade B but do not stop a box from being reused. Say so in the request.
Knocked-down boxes are easier to count and move, and they stay cleaner. If they are set up, say so and we will plan for it.
Send the request anyway. The count tells us how to match it, and small counts are fine to describe.
Count, footprint and wall count are enough to start.
No prices, minimums or times are stated here.