Innovative Pallet Maker Ramps Up Production to Combat No-Deal Threat

Pallite, an innovative UK-based paper pallet and shipping crate maker, which recently secured over £1,150,000 funding on Crowdcube, says it will use the funding to ramp up production to ensure supply should the UK leave the EU without a deal on 31st October. The company says its products can help combat a potentially severe pallet shortage in that scenario.

Because they are made from paper, Pallite products are exempt from ISPM-15 requirements which require heat treating or fumigation of wooden packaging to prevent disease transfer. The EU applies lower standards to members, allowing untreated pallets to move across borders but this benefit would be lost in a no deal scenario. It has been reported that only 1/3rd of existing UK pallets would be compliant should we leave with no deal.

If suitable pallets were unable to be sourced, millions of tonnes of goods carried between the UK and EU may not be allowed to be transported. According to The Guardian more than 3m pallets move between the UK and EU every month and this scenario “could potentially lead to food shortages”.

Pallite’s products reduce raw material use and carbon emissions to help businesses reduce their impact on the environment. Its pallets and pallet boxes are up to 83% lighter than traditional wooden and plastic alternatives – which can weigh over 60kg – and this reduces emissions in transit. If 30,000 pallets were air freighted from the UK to New York using Pallite® rather than wooden pallets you’d reduce CO2 emissions by 4,612 tonnes.

CEO Ian Hulmes (above) said: “Any business concerned about being able to move goods between the UK and EU should consider our sustainable and regulation-exempt pallets and boxes to ensure they can keep their supply chains moving.”