A Discerning ‘Pallet’: How A Canadian Operation Stands Out
February 1, 2026
Perhaps no asset in commerce is as integral, utilized and as underappreciated as the humble wood pallet.
“As soon as the pallet is missing, production halts,” said Henk Vrugteveen, president of Oxford Pallet & Recyclers Ltd. in Norwich, Ontario.
“The pallet is a vital part of production, transportation and delivery to retailers.”
HENK VRUGTEVEEN
The unsung hero of trade also has an afterlife — and strong ties to the mulch industry. Pallet material waste was the most common product for colored mulch in the early days of the industry. It continues to be ground for multiple uses, such as animal bedding.
WOOD WORK
Vrugteveen’s introduction to the world of pallets began as a 16-year-old while working at a large produce hub near Toronto. As a forklift operator, he handled countless loads of onions and carrots. His eye eventually spotted a need in the industry.
“Every pallet sitting on the side of the road and every pallet sitting on the docks represented a $5 bill,” he said. That observation led him to get in his truck and start picking up discarded pallets.
The fledgling business began operation in 1999 in a rented facility, repairing pallets and selling them to local manufacturers in Norwich, a community about two hours west of Buffalo. Today, the business is a showcase of efficiency, repairing an estimated 20,000 pallets each week and building another 6,000 new pallets. It employs nearly 100 people and has a fleet of more than 160 trailers.
CHIPS OFF THE OLD BLOCK
With so many pallets coming in, wood waste was an inevitability. The business got into what Vrugteveen called the “necessary evil” of grinding pallet material; the cost of paying recyclers was no longer cost effective.
“I was going to make mulch,” he said. It was the beginning of the sister company called Premium Mulch Products.
TRUE COLORS
“What’s kind of neat about the mulch side of our business is it came from an issue at Oxford Pallet of having waste material,” said Eric Kok, the manager at Premium Mulch Products.
In the early days, pallet materials were used to produce colored mulch. “I remember the first 30 loads I gave away for free to get rid of the product,” Vrugteveen said. The business had to live up to its eventual name — Premium — and looked for a colorant and coloring machine to achieve that.
“We came across an ad from Colorbiotics, and we knew the company that had the best product in Ontario used them,” Vrugteveen said. “We connected with Colorbiotics and haven’t looked back since.”
In 2018, Premium Mulch Products moved away from coloring pallet material entirely. It now exclusively uses a virgin wood product and the Sahara X3 coloring system.
“We use Starburst Black, Coffee Brown and Red,” Kok said. “The colorizer controls everything down to the pounds of dye we put in our product.”
NORTH STAR
The trajectory of Oxford Pallet & Recyclers Ltd. has parallels with the mulch industry in general. The company identified an opportunity to meet consumer demand, it later took advantage of pallet waste material to produce colored mulch and it ultimately prioritized a premium product using virgin wood and high-quality equipment and colorant.
For Vrugteveen, the business’ commitment to faith, family and its fellow employees makes the success ever sweeter. “I love when I see my employees happy,” he said. “I love seeing the person starting out on the floor, coming into a better position in the company. I just love seeing people grow.”
Learn more about the Sahara X3 coloring system.