Shauna and Chad Van Beek, Owners
Custom pallets may not be a high-profile industry, but they are a critical part of the manufacturing and shipping pipeline. When Shauna and Chad Van Beek saw a gap, they moved quickly to fill it.
In late 2022, Shauna discovered that her company’s pallet supplier had closed leaving a significant gap between Salt Lake City and Denver. Instead of waiting for a solution, she and Chad decided to build one.
Within weeks, Western Slope Pallets was underway.
Starting in their garage with borrowed equipment and a rented trailer, they built their first order by hand and delivered it themselves launching the business in January 2023.
Shauna brought a background in accounting and manufacturing systems, including lean efficiency training. Chad, a mechanic, brought hands-on problem-solving and quickly began designing tools and processes to improve production. Together, they built a business grounded in efficiency, practicality, and a deep understanding of their customers’ needs.
Like many early-stage businesses, growth required balancing competing priorities. Both continued working full-time jobs while building the company, producing pallets, managing deliveries, and steadily growing a customer base through consistency and quality.
As they looked to scale, they connected with the Business Incubator Center at the recommendation of a friend. Through the Leading Edge Business Planning Course, they developed their first formal business plan gaining clarity on operations, growth strategy, and long-term decision-making. That connection opened the door to additional support, including advising, access to space, and participation in the Incubator Intensive program. They also received access to capital for business expansion through the Business Loan Fund at the Business Incubator Center.
That next step is already underway. With a move to the BIC campus, Western Slope Pallets is positioned to increase production capacity, improve workflow, and expand its reach across the region.
Today, the company provides high-quality custom pallets to manufacturers throughout Western Colorado offering a local solution that reduces shipping costs, shortens lead times, and strengthens regional supply chains.
Western Slope Pallets is a clear example of how businesses take root, not because the path is obvious or easy, but because someone is willing to see opportunity where others don’t and build something to meet it.
At the Business Incubator Center, that’s the work we do every day to equip entrepreneurs with the tools, guidance, and access they need to turn initiative into sustainable businesses that strengthen the regional economy.