After a few years on the forum and going through a few buyers (none local) I decided to make the journey up to Ohio. For me that's a 12 hour drive there and a 12 hour one back plus meals and refueling. I took a small assortment of different materials with me to see how things get graded and processed, maybe 3-4 gaylords total but an assortment never the less. Here is the skinny...
1.) I hear Mario and expected an old Italian dude in a suit. VERY disappointed. Mario is a young guy, clean cut, well spoken, very intelligent and very down to earth. We spoke for the entirety of my time there (about 3 hours). Mario is very knowledgeable about his market, his strengths and weaknesses, and the business from a numbers perspective. He has a good crew and all are very nice and cordial folks. Drinks and food were offered and I felt appropriately welcomed; no spaghetti though...
2.) His guys work fast. They get you unloaded, get you sorted, and get you back on the road. I needed this and was glad that was the case.
3.) Sorting is fair. There are general rules to what gets a upgrade and all the guys appear to sort in the same manner which speaks to consistency and proper training. It's good to know that if Big D has the day off that the new guy will grade in the same like manner. Every board was examined which has NOT been the case in other establishments. If I go to X buyer and the is a small socket mixed in with the large sockets then the whole gaylord gets a downgrade, that is not the case here and (take note of this folks) it's not what a buyer pays but how a buyer grades that makes all the difference in the world.
4.) I may never come back. I came down for two reasons. A) Meet the guy, pick his brain and go with my instincts (which have served me well over the years) B) See how things are unloaded and processed so that I may pack them in such a way to make it easier for them to unpack, sort, and grade. I have done both and I believe going forward I will not have to drive up to Ohio and instead feel comfortable sending gaylords. I also thought that it would be cheaper to drive up there and deliver in person but the fact is that it is NOT cheaper. The cost of fuel, the two days it took, and the wear/tear on my truck are not worth it as they all have a cost. With the right situations shipping can be very very inexpensive and Mario's folks can help you with that.
5.) The pricing is fair. I appreciate that and that is obviously the point of all this right?
Appreciate the Hospitality,
Jeremy
Side Note:
NEVER joke with him about a flat tire. I have been blessed enough to never have had a blowout EVER. I get up there, joke with the guy about a flat tire and then this happens on the way home...
Originally Posted by ozzy214
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