Introduction of Pallet Standard

Wolseley UK, the country’s leading distributer of plumbing and heating products, has entered into a supply chain partnership with CHEP, the leading provider of pallet and container pooling solutions, that will improve safety and deliver significant supply chain benefits throughout its nationwide operations.

Central to the deal will be Wolseley UK’s implementation of CHEP’s industry-standard B1210A pallets (1200x1000mm) throughout its network of five distribution centres and 768 branches across the UK. In addition, Wolseley UK will offer its suppliers the opportunity to implement CHEP’s industry-standard pallet for shipments into the business.

Safety is a key factor behind Wolseley UK’s decision to form this new partnership with CHEP. In a recent 12-month period, Wolseley observed that sub-standard pallets within its network had caused 30% of all lost-time incidents (LTIs) and 80% of reported near-misses.

Commenting on these statistics, John Rogers, National Distribution Centre Manager, Wolseley UK said: “We take safety extremely seriously and continuously review, assess and improve to keep risk to the absolute minimum. Implementing CHEP’s industry-standard pallets throughout our supply chain network will undoubtedly have a massive impact in making Wolseley UK a safer workplace for everyone.”

As well as the safety benefits, Wolseley UK anticipates the introduction of a pallet standard will also drive significant operational benefits which will reduce its supply chain costs throughout its network. The partnership will also allow Wolseley to leverage CHEP’s supply chain expertise thanks to ongoing account management with a view to develop a joint business plan for further initiatives aimed at improving supply chain efficiency.

CHEP UK & Ireland Managing Director, Rod Francis is delighted with the new partnership: “CHEP continues to develop partnerships with key organisations in the construction sector. This latest partnership is testament to the synergies that exist between CHEP and Wolseley. The introduction of a pallet standard can deliver significant benefits at many levels, and I’m looking forward to seeing these develop for Wolseley, as well as seeking out additional opportunities where we can work together to build a better construction supply chain.”