Our Inventor

Robert “Bob” Kessler knows trees!  He can identify nearly any species of tree in virtually any timber.  While most of us look at a leaf to identify a tree, Bob can look at the bark and tell you what species it is and if that tree is ready to harvest.

A veteran in the pallet business for over 20 years, Bob is the President of Robert Kessler and Sons, a pallet rebuilding and recycling mill in Augusta, Illinois.  He realized that the pallet industry was one of the most wasteful industries in the U.S. and the impact of pallets on the environment was significant and harmful.  Pallets simply could not withstand the damage caused by today’s shipping tools.  Subsequently, the volume of pallets that entered landfills was tremendous.  The cost of such poor performance further advanced the disdain for the pallet industry.

Over the years, Bob has seen the majority of pallet damage begin in the lead boards, the "Achilles heel" of a pallet.  He began to design a protective bumper that would prevent lead board damage, improving the performance of the pallet.  Many versions later, Bob and his team from Green Line Armor have arrived at the Hybrid Sustained Use Pallet™.  Bob’s vision has resulted in the ground-breaking change that has been desperately needed.  The Hybrid Sustained Use Pallet™ will reduce landfill waste, improve management of our forests, decrease costs associated with pallets, and advance the use of technology in logistics.