About Us
Watch Us Grow...
Grand Traverse Pallet was founded in December of 2000 originally operating as Grand Traverse Assembly. Owner, Mike Rottman, started the business as an out-source assembly service for area manufacturers but quickly steered the business toward pallet production by 2002. As demand grew, Mike and Candace purchased Drenth Brothers’ sawmill operation in Ellsworth, Michigan.
This acquisition allowed Grand Traverse Pallet to expand the pallet business and bring everything under one roof in Ellsworth. In addition, the company now controlled every aspect of production, from sourcing logs to cutting materials as well as assembling and shipping finished pallets. In 2004 the company added a Heat Treat chamber to serve customers shipping pallets overseas. As a result of this vertical integration, Grand Traverse Pallet has grown to be the leading provider of wood packaging in Northern Michigan. With a product line including crates, pallets, skids and wood dunnage as well as by-products including sawdust, wood chips and bark mulch, Grand Traverse Pallet converts 100% of the incoming logs into it’s highest use, confirming its role as a responsible member of the Forest Products Community.
Our Employees ...
Reinvesting in the business and its employees has been a constant. The sawmill itself has been redesigned and replaced several times with the last major overhaul completed in 2018. More recently, a 2024 investment in the dust collection system has improved air quality and reduced clean up time. The upgrade will also allow for growth as the company continues to expand it sales footprint.
Over the years, Grand Traverse Pallet has invested in its people too by steadily improving pay rates and benefits. Employees and their families now enjoy an industry leading employment package including:
- 401(K) w/ 4% Match
- Family or Single Health Insurance with the company paying 70% of premiums
- 40 hours Personal Time Off available at 90 days
- Vacation Pay available at 1 year
- All major Holidays Paid
- Monthly bonus based on Sales and Attendance
- Life Insurance, Work Clothing Reimbursement, optional Dental and Vision, etc.
- 9 hour shifts Monday through Thursday allowing for a 4 hour work day on Friday - depending on work load.
