EPAL pallet production reaches record levels in 2021

The European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL) maintained the continuous growth of the EPAL Euro pallet pool in 2021. More than 100 million new EPAL Euro pallets were produced for the first time in a calendar year in 2021.

The record result of 101.3 million new EPAL Euro pallets represents a year-on-year growth of 5.5 % (96.1 million EPAL Euro pallets were produced in 2020). There was also significant growth of 7.6 % in repairs. The production of EPAL Box pallets, which grew by 66.7 % to 288,149 box pallets, is worth highlighting here. The total production and repair volume in 2021 for all EPAL load carriers grew by +6 % to a total of 130.8 million pallets.

Robert Holliger, President of EPAL: “2021 was a year of profound challenges. On the one hand, the economic upturn following the anticipated easing of the COVID-19 pandemic generated a substantial demand for EPAL load carriers. On the other, the shortage of and considerable increase in the price of wood made the situation very difficult for producers and repairers of EPAL Euro pallets. We are therefore particularly proud that it was possible to increase production of EPAL Euro pallets, despite the shortage of wood. We would like to thank EPAL licensees and users of EPAL Euro pallets for this exceptional result.”

Maintaining industrial and retail supply chains

Concerns that it would not be possible to supply industrial and retail users with sufficient numbers of EPAL Euro pallets as a result of the shortage of and increase in the price of wood in spring 2021 proved, in hindsight, to be unwarranted. The EPAL Euro pallet pool continued to be a reliable partner in 2021 for industry and retail, and their supply chains, and ensured the on-going availability of EPAL Euro pallets.

Bernd Dörre, EPAL CEO: “The high levels of trust users have for the open EPAL Euro pallet pool also proves how important EPAL Euro pallets are for the international logistics sector. In addition to guaranteeing the efficiency and safety of logistics processes, using EPAL Euro pallets also helps users achieve their sustainability goals. The reuse of EPAL Euro pallets protects wood resources and reduces CO2 emissions from production and transportation. The EPAL Euro pallet pool is an exemplar for a sustainable circular economy. It is therefore no surprise that the number of participants in open pallet exchange is continuing to grow and that this has led to the record number of EPAL Euro pallets produced.”

It is currently difficult to know whether this record result can be repeated in 2022 due to the significant impacts of the war in Ukraine. However, the growth in the production of EPAL Euro pallets continued in the first quarter of 2022. Secure supply of EPAL Euro pallets is therefore guaranteed.