Our Story
From a single warehouse and a pickup truck to America's trusted source for used gaylord boxes. Discover how a shared frustration with packaging waste became a nationwide movement.
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A Problem Too Big to Ignore
In 2015, Marcus Rivera and Dana Chen were running a small logistics consulting firm in the Chicago suburbs. Their work took them inside hundreds of warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants across the Midwest. Everywhere they went, they saw the same thing: stacks upon stacks of perfectly usable gaylord boxes headed for the dumpster after a single use.
The math was staggering. A single gaylord box costs between $30 and $80 new, yet most are discarded after one shipment. Across the United States, millions of these bulk containers are thrown away every year — filling landfills with corrugated cardboard that could easily be used three, four, or even five more times before needing to be recycled.
Marcus and Dana saw an opportunity that was equal parts environmental mission and business sense. If they could build a reliable system for collecting, inspecting, grading, and reselling used gaylord boxes, they could save businesses money while keeping thousands of tons of cardboard out of landfills. They pooled their savings, rented a 5,000 square foot warehouse, bought a used flatbed truck, and Eco Boxes was born.
What started as two people with a truck has grown into a nationwide operation with over 100 employees, five facilities, and millions of boxes given a second life. But the mission has never changed: eliminate packaging waste, one gaylord box at a time.
Our first warehouse, Chicago, 2015
The founding team
The original truck
A Decade of Growth & Impact
From humble beginnings to nationwide operations, every milestone represents another step toward a more sustainable packaging industry.
The Beginning
Eco Boxes was founded in a 5,000 sq ft warehouse outside Chicago by two logistics veterans who saw mountains of perfectly usable gaylord boxes being thrown away every day. Armed with a pickup truck, a phone, and a conviction that there was a better way, they started buying and reselling used bulk containers to local manufacturers.
First Major Contract
Signed our first enterprise-level contract with a Midwest food distributor, supplying 2,000 graded gaylord boxes per month. This partnership validated our quality-grading system and proved that businesses were willing to choose reused packaging when the quality was guaranteed.
Recycling Program Launch
Launched our comprehensive recycling pickup program for businesses. Rather than letting boxes reach the end of their life in a dumpster, we began offering free pickup for companies that wanted to ensure their used gaylords were either resold or responsibly recycled into new corrugated material.
Nationwide Expansion
Expanded operations beyond the Midwest with a second facility on the East Coast. Our logistics network grew to cover 30 states, and our team grew to 25 employees. We processed over 500,000 boxes in a single year for the first time.
Transportation Division
Launched our dedicated transportation division with a fleet of trucks optimized for bulk box shipments. By handling our own logistics, we reduced delivery times by 40% and were able to offer more competitive pricing through route optimization and load consolidation.
Resilience Through Crisis
When the pandemic disrupted global supply chains, demand for affordable bulk packaging skyrocketed. Eco Boxes stepped up, keeping supply lines open and helping essential businesses access the containers they needed when new box production slowed to a crawl.
One Million Boxes Milestone
Processed our one-millionth gaylord box. This milestone represented over 15,000 tons of corrugated cardboard kept out of landfills. We also opened our third facility on the West Coast, achieving true coast-to-coast coverage across 48 states.
Sustainability Certifications
Achieved multiple sustainability certifications and launched our environmental impact reporting program. Clients now receive detailed reports showing exactly how many trees, gallons of water, and kilowatt-hours they save by purchasing used boxes through Eco Boxes.
Technology & Innovation
Invested heavily in technology, rolling out an AI-powered grading system that improved quality consistency by 35%. Launched our online ordering platform, making it easier than ever for businesses to browse inventory, get instant quotes, and schedule deliveries.
Team of 100+
Our team surpassed 100 dedicated employees across five facilities nationwide. We diverted over 50,000 tons of cardboard from landfills cumulatively and became the preferred gaylord box partner for many of America's top manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.
A Team Fueled by Purpose
At Eco Boxes, sustainability is not just a corporate buzzword printed on a brochure. It is the reason every single person on our team gets up in the morning. From the warehouse floor to the executive suite, we share a conviction that the packaging industry can and must do better.
Waste Is a Design Flaw
We believe that waste only exists when systems fail. A gaylord box used once and thrown away is not waste because the box is bad. It is waste because the system never gave it a second chance. Eco Boxes exists to fix that system, one box at a time.
Every Box Tells a Story
A box that shipped automotive parts in Michigan can ship produce in California. A container that held electronics in a warehouse can store recycled goods at a distribution center. We see potential where others see trash.
People-First Approach
From our warehouse teams who inspect every box by hand to our logistics coordinators who optimize every route, every member of the Eco Boxes family understands that their work matters. We invest in our people because they are the backbone of our mission.
Our Growing Team
Over 100 dedicated professionals across five facilities nationwide, united by a shared passion for sustainable packaging solutions.
Numbers That Speak Volumes
The Story Is Far From Over
Every year, the packaging industry generates millions of tons of avoidable waste. While we are proud of how far we have come since that first warehouse in 2015, we know the job is far from finished. Our goal is bold but simple: make used gaylord boxes the default choice for every business in America that uses bulk containers.
We are expanding our facility network, investing in automated grading technology, building new partnerships with sustainability-focused brands, and exploring innovative ways to extend the useful life of every box we touch. The next chapter of the Eco Boxes story will be the most impactful yet — and we invite you to be part of it.