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LHoF presents new humanitarian award

Posted on by David Priestman

Starting in 2023, the Logistics Hall of Fame will present a new international award: the Lynn C. Fritz Medal for Excellence in Humanitarian Logistics. The medal will annually recognise humanitarian organisations and their partners for outstanding logistics projects. The Hall of Fame organisation made the announcement at its traditional gala reception with around 200 guests from politics, business and academia on 29th November in Berlin.

The initiator and sponsor of the medal is the Fritz Institute in San Francisco (USA). The award is named after Lynn C. Fritz (pictured), the founder and CEO of the institute. The 80-year-old US businessman transferred industrial logistics strategies to humanitarian organisations in the 1990s. He was inducted into the Logistics Hall of Fame in 2021 as the “advocate of logistics for humanitarian organisations”.

“The award is intended to motivate humanitarian organisations to permanently improve their supply chains and to highlight the key role of professional supply chain management in the success of aid projects,” the businessman said in announcing the award.

With the medal, the Logistics Hall of Fame and the sponsor also want to emphasise and the impact of superior logistics performance within the sector and encourage innovative approaches to strengthen disaster response.

International jury for humanitarian award

Who wins the award is decided by an international jury made up of representatives from business, science, politics, associations and the media. The jury is chaired by Thilo Jörgl, Managing Partner of the Logistics Hall of Fame organisation. An Expert Council of recognised specialists in the field of humanitarian logistics decides which of the submitted applications will be presented to the jury members for selection. Key evaluation criteria include efficiency, innovation, sustainability and exemplary character for the field of humanitarian logistics.

The start of the online application process at www.logisticshalloffame.net is March 2023. Each aid organisation can apply with its own project. Joint projects involving several organisations and their partners are also eligible. The completed logistics project must not be older than three years.

The Logistics Hall of Fame, which is under the patronage of German Transport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing, will present a total of three awards in Berlin at the end of 2023: In addition to the traditional induction of the new member into the Hall of Fame, the organisation will present the Lynn C. Fritz Medal and the TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year Award to current pacesetters in logistics.

The pallet pioneers

Eleven boards, nine wooden blocks, 78 nails – and a logistics milestone is complete. The Euro pallet once cut the loading time of freight cars or trucks by up to 90%. It set the standard for logistics centres. It can be repaired with low material and energy costs and is fully recyclable at the end of its life cycle.

The invention of the pallet assumes a similar significance for logistics specialists as the container. Who invented it and its predecessors is not easy to answer, because the history of the pallet’s development is long. As far back as ancient Egypt, people used skids to transport heavy goods. The US Army used pallets as early as the First World War. Or the Clark Equipment Company, which, when it built the first forklift in the U.S. in 1917, used simple skids as load carriers.

However, Carl Clark did not file a patent application for this early pallet until 1939. In 1924, Howard T. Hallowell filed a patent application for a “lift truck platform.” Throughout the 1930s, new variations of the pallet continued to appear on the American market, and patents for various pallets also exist in Europe.

First patent

The first transport pallet dates from 7th November, 1939, when George Raymond Sr and his associate William House were granted a patent for a hydraulic lift truck and the accompanying wooden transport pallet. It paved the way for the Euro pallet and global pallet pooling systems.

As early as 1922, Raymond acquired a foundry called Lyon Iron Works in New York State and formed it into The Raymond Corporation, now a subsidiary of Toyota Industries. There, with his inventive spirit coupled with a desire to understand and solve customers’ challenges, Raymond laid the foundation for a company that would later shape an entire industry. His transport pallet was designed so that the forks of the lift truck could travel under the pallet from two sides.

Before Steve Raymond, the founder’s grandson, retired, he was actively involved with The Raymond Corporation in various capacities, including past president of the Raymond Solutions and Support Center. He is proud of his grandfather’s invention: “Everything in logistics starts with the pallet,” he says.

Numerous pallet inventions were not patented until the late 1940s, such as Robert Braun’s four-way pallet, patented in 1945, and a one-way pallet by US supply officer Norman Cahners, who received the patent in 1949.

DIN certification

In 2004, the Euro pallet also received DIN EN 13698-1. This states that it is a rigid horizontal platform of low height “capable of being handled by forklift trucks, pallet trucks or other suitable equipment and serving as a base for grouping goods and loads for stacking, storage and handling or transport”.

Mother of the Euro pallet is the UIC: The birth of the Euro pallet was largely related to the idea of standardisation. In the 1950s, railroad companies began to transport more and more goods on pallets and the pallet spread rapidly. However, the lack of standards led to real chaos in cross-border transport. To counteract this, in 1961 the Union Internationale des Chemins de fer (UIC) worked out the contract for a standardised, exchangeable pallet within the framework of a working group with changing players, which was subsequently signed by the European railroad companies.

From then on, they undertook to comply with the standard (UIC-standard 435-2 ff.), to manufacture and to repair Euro pallets. In addition, they agreed to the monitoring and the guarantee of a trouble-free exchange in an EPP (European Pallet Pool). The success of the Euro pallet with the dimensions 800mm x 1200mm x 144mm was resounding: there is hardly any storage or transport system today which is not adapted to the dimensions of the Euro pallet.

Open exchange pool

The open exchange pool for Euro pallets works like this: A loaded pallet is exchanged for an identical empty Euro pallet at the destination. The regulations for the production and repair of Euro pallets are extensive in this respect, right down to the position of the individual nails. The exchange of Euro pallets is not automatic, nor is it common practice in all countries.

In the mid-1970s, the Gütegemeinschaft Paletten, now the National Committee of EPAL, took over part of the distribution and quality assurance of the Euro pallet. Together, the UIC and the European Pallet Association (EPAL) e.V., founded in 1991, promoted the dissemination and quality assurance of the Euro pallet in the following years.

In 2013, UIC and EPAL separated. Since then, both organisations have been competitors in the open Euro pallet exchange pool with different trademarks: UIC/EUR on the corner blocks of UIC Euro pallets and EPAL/EPAL on the blocks of EPAL Euro pallets. EPAL, with its 14 National Committees (members of the umbrella organisation) and three representatives, is active in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Just a few years after the invention of the Euro pallet, another player in the pallet business appeared in Australia. Oliver Richter (1920 – 2014) was the Trade Manager for Manufacturing and Materials Handling in the logistics company Brambles. At the time, the company was still predominantly active in the materials handling sector in Sydney with its CHEP (Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool) brand. Richter recognised the potential of a pallet pooling system and successfully expanded the closed CHEP rental pool internationally.

Sharing pallets among multiple participants

Under CHEP’s “sharing and reusing” model, reusable pallets, crates and containers were made available for sharing among multiple participants throughout the supply chain. Through Richter’s drive and vision, CHEP also advanced pallet size standardisation and the resulting impact on packaging standardisation. He had a pallet control system developed that improved the efficient movement of goods and ensured more effective reuse of pallets and a reduction in pallet loss. Overall, these initiatives resulted in tangible productivity gains throughout the supply chain as goods moved directly from manufacturer or producer to retailer.

Prior to the EPAL, CHEP and UIC pooling and reuse schemes, companies spent significant amounts of money replacing pallets that were not returned or were of inferior quality. The circular economy of the Euro pallet contributed to an immense improvement in sustainability in logistics long before the issue of sustainability was on the public agenda.

But the end of the pallet’s story is far from written. It has created a standard for logistics. It gave rise to standard packaging, box sizes and clear heights in warehouses, truck trailer sizes or forklift dimensions. That the pallet will continue to be a driving force in the future is beyond question, but like any other load carrier, it must rise to the challenges of the times.

Pallets for tomorrow’s logistics

In addition to the sustainability factor, the pallet today is first and foremost part of the digital evolution in logistics. Research and science, pallet manufacturers and customers are working on innovative ways to make pallets an even more reliable and intelligent means of transporting and presenting goods.

Logistics is all about pallets. Making them smart means making logistics smart. The pallet of the future will no longer just sustainably transport goods but will provide important information. It will record environmental parameters and communicate with modern media. The pallet will remain a central building block in a digital logistics universe with globally networked supply chains.

Pallet industry calls for power cut protection

Posted on by David Priestman

The Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) has asked the UK government to confirm it will act to keep the pallet and packaging business operational in the event of any planned power outages during the winter.

The organisation, which represents the sector in the UK and Ireland, is seeking clarity that it will be accorded ‘protected site status’ and be able to manufacture and repair during any rolling power cuts that may be introduced if gas supplies run low in the months ahead.

Wooden pallets and packaging are key to keeping supply chains of critical goods – including food, drink, and pharmaceutical products – moving. Accordingly, the government gave essential worker status to the industry during COVID lockdown periods. TIMCON also worked closely with Defra in the run up to Brexit to ensure that supply chains understood new phytosanitary requirements to ensure unbroken movement of timber pallets and packaging between the UK and EU markets.

TIMCON president John Dye said: “The current energy crisis once again poses a threat to the continuity of supply chains. If power outages are indeed going to occur during winter months, it is vital that the wooden pallet and packaging sector continues to operate to ensure that consumers have uninterrupted access to essential goods.

“We are urging government to engage, support and enable pallet and packaging manufacturers, pallet pools, reconditioned pallet businesses and the logistics industry to continue their work and ensure UK sawmilling operations can continue providing timber to our operations.”

Bagging and palletising solutions optimise workflow

Posted on by David Priestman

Packaging and robotic automation company RMGroup has supplied bagging and palletising solutions to Dumfries-based building materials and aggregates supplier J&J Currie. The investments, which were made to increase efficiencies and reduce labour costs, included a MB-400 manual bagging machine and a robot palletiser, followed by a BB-215 bulk bagging machine.

J&J Currie, which supplies an extensive range of sand and decorative gravels, began its search for a manual bagging system and robot palletiser earlier in 2022, principally to alleviate manual handling labour requirements and their associated costs. Having secured a number of quotes for the required solutions, the company found RMGroup’s equipment prices to be more competitive and placed an order.

The installation of the initial system, required to pack and bag all types of aggregates, consisted of a MB-400, RMGroup’s most popular bagging machine and a ABB IRB 460 palletising robot, which was installed to automate the palletising. The MB-400, capable of filling pre-made bags up to 400 bags an hour, comes complete with a 5m 3-tonne hopper, rubber trough conveyor feed belt, electronic load cell bag clamp, weigh indicator, 4m filled bag conveyor complete with guide panels, and a SH1000 continuous heat sealer.

More recently, J&J Currie also purchased RMGroup’s complete bulk-bagging system, the BB-215, the installation of which occurring within three weeks of the order being placed. RMGroup’s bulk bagging machine is designed to work with a variety of products, including the most abrasive. The robust FIBC filling machine includes a large 15-tonne capacity hopper, belt conveyor and a separate filling frame, and can fill over two bulk bags a minute.

“The systems that we’ve installed from RMGroup more than meet our expectations, helping to increase efficiencies in the yard, while reducing our labour overheads,” said J&J Currie’s managing director, Russell Currie. “It also means that we can save on material costs, as these machines weigh everything out so we know that the customer is getting what they pay for. RMGroup were excellent in providing regular updates throughout the purchase of all equipment and the installations themselves were quick and trouble-free – the BB215 was installed in a day, and after a morning of testing we were up and running!”

Kevin Humphreys, RMGroup’s sales manager, added: “J&J Currie is a great business to work with and we are delighted that they are benefiting from having the bagging and palletising systems installed. All aspects of order fulfilment, from project management to delivery and installation were seamless from our side, which all makes for a happy customer. We look forward to providing them with our expertise again in the future.”

 

 

Goplasticpallets.com makes key senior appointment

Posted on by David Priestman

Goplasticpallets.com, the responsible plastic pallet company, has made a key senior appointment to help facilitate the next chapter of the organisation’s growth. Lee Denyer has joined the company as Finance Director.

In this newly created role, Denyer’s remit will encompass all financial aspects of company strategy, monitoring business performance, optimising existing processes and developing new ones. He arrives at goplasticpallets.com after spending 12 years at aerospace and defence giant L3Harris, where he most recently held the role of Head of Finance. Earlier in his career, Denyer enjoyed spells at food manufacturer Kate’s Cakes, as well as Parker Hannifin, a global leader in motion and control technologies.

Denyer completes a strong senior leadership team – spearheaded by Managing Director Jim Hardisty – who will focus on overseeing goplasticpallets.com’s future development plans, which includes adding to its existing portfolio of innovative and sustainable products. The company already supports a number of household names across multiple sectors – including retail, food and agriculture, automotive and pharmaceuticals – whilst also working closely with supply chain and automation professionals to increase efficiencies.

Commenting on the appointment, Hardisty said: “We are thrilled to add someone of Lee’s calibre and experience to our senior management team. After a period of sustained growth, we have a number of exciting plans in place that will push the business forward even further. Lee will play a fundamental role in helping us to achieve our goals as we embark on the next chapter of goplasticpallets.com’s journey.”

Denyer said: “This is a fantastic time to be joining the talented team at goplasticpallets.com. I will be responsible for ensuring the company is in the best position possible to take advantage of new opportunities and that our internal processes and systems match our ambitious growth plans. I cannot wait to get started and make a positive impact across the business.”

 

Avery Dennison saves on supply chain packaging

Posted on by David Priestman

Avery Dennison Labels and Packaging Materials (LPM) has partnered with Tosca, a global leader in reusable plastic packaging and pooling solutions for the supply chain. The partnership means Avery Dennison LPM is aiming to switch a substantial portion of its product distribution across the continent to plastic pallets with a goal to save over 800 tonnes of CO2 emissions from its European supply chain annually.

Plastic pallets have many advantages. Since they are more durable than their wooden counterparts they can be re-used more often and are less prone to breakages which can help reduce the risk of damage and waste in the supply chain. In fact, Tosca estimates that its plastic pallets can be used over a 100 times and at end of life, are recycled.

The collaboration with Tosca will cover the distribution of materials from Avery Dennison factories and distribution centres across the EU as well as the UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey. Deployments will gradually phase in over the course of 2023. The agreement allows Avery Dennison’s network of partners to also join the pooling programme under favourable terms to cover the onward freight of finished materials to brands and other end users.

Tosca operates a pooling model and delivers clean empty pallets from its service centres located across Europe, to Avery Dennison sites. The service is fully managed with pallets inspected and washed after every rotation by Tosca. At the end of every year, Avery Dennison and its customers that take part in the pooling programme will receive a CO2 emissions reduction certificate. Tosca predicts that Avery Dennison alone could save 819 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually by switching all its Euro-sized wooden pallets (1200x800mm) to Tosca.

The pooling programme has been trialled for almost 12 months for shipments from Avery Dennison’s distribution centre in Dublin to customers in Ireland.

Violeta Gómez, Central Packaging Leader at Avery Dennison, comments: “The pooling programme has been a massive success in Ireland and is helping us to reduce our carbon footprint and eliminate waste within the supply chain. Customers appreciate the fact that plastic pallets offer standard quality: they are cleaner (dust-free) and with less risk of damaging their products.

“Avery Dennison’s and Tosca’s plastic pallet pooling vision doesn’t stop after the pallets arrive to the customer. We encourage customers to take the chance to extend the pooling programme further down the supply chain to end-users and help grow the eco system further.”

Felix Van Ouytsel, Business Development Manager at Tosca, comments: “Tosca provides solutions that enable companies across the world to eliminate wasted materials, miles, space and labour to make the entire supply chain more sustainable. As the largest pooler of plastic pallets in Europe, we deliver a combination of reusable products, a flexible global service network and a committed partnership which will benefit Avery Dennison and its customers. We look forward to this partnership and are very happy to welcome Avery Dennison to the Tosca family.”

Craemer box ideal for meat processing company

Posted on by David Priestman

Proving to be extremely robust even at high trip rates, the CB3 pallet box is a combination of pallet and box made by Craemer. A large German-Polish meat processing company discovered this plastic pallet box by chance. It left such a good impression that the company immediately placed an order with the Craemer group’s German headquarters via its representative office in Poland.

Besides being durable, these resistant boxes have to meet the highest hygiene requirements of the kebab producer: They are used to transport animal by-products which are converted into animal feed. After successful test runs, the company is now gradually replacing its entire stock of containers from a competing company whose boxes were previously used and have proven inappropriate for this demanding task.

The Craemer Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of durable logistics and waste disposal solutions with over 60 years of experience in plastics processing. Established in 1912 and now in its fifth generation, this family-owned company operates its headquarters in Germany as well as three other plants in Europe. As a further business field, plastics processing was added to metal processing at the end of the 1950s. Craemer initially manufactured large plastic injection-mould containers. In 1967, the Group obtained a patent for the world’s first one-piece pallet. The portfolio now comprises plastic pallets for a wide variety of requirements as well as a wide range of transport and storage containers – from stacking boxes, round containers and tubs to pallet boxes.

All Craemer products are made of high-quality polyethylene fulfilling the most stringent requirements and excel with their tried and tested quality. Since 2014, the Craemer Group has been operating a representative office in Poland named Craemer GmbH Przedstawicielstwo w Polsce. The daily business consists in the sales promotion of Craemer pallets or pallet boxes as well as plastic containers for storage and transport.

Booming exports

Established in 2008 as a German-Polish joint-venture, the kebab company produces various types of doner kebab – poultry, beef and veal, depending on the customer’s wishes. The founders have years of experience with this grilled meat dish that originally comes from Turkey and which has taken most of Europe and half of the world’s countries by storm. Approved for intra-community trade, the manufacturer also cooperates with many member countries of the European Union.

The company – which boast to be one of the best producers in the industry, striving for the top position in the domestic as well as in the European market – is booming and growing fast. In western Poland, a new production facility has now been opened for processing chicken meat into kebab dishes which are then exported to the Central and Western European markets.

“Our new customer came across Craemer and their plastic pallet boxes in an astonishing way,” explains Arkadiusz Michal Wissuwa, Area Sales Manager Poland. “Another Polish meat processor, whose category 3 abattoir waste goes into animal feed, had already been using several hundred of our light grey CB3 for this purpose. This company was one of our first CB3 customers in Poland, by the way.”

Replacing unstable boxes with CB3

“This customer then systematically replaced the boxes they were using at the time with our CB3,” Arkadiusz Michal Wissuwa continues, “because the pallet boxes are returned empty from the animal feed manufacturer to the meat processing companies every time, sometimes boxes accidentally end up not with the original owner but with other producers of abattoir waste.”

This is how this kebab producer came across Craemer boxes. “They were looking for very stable and hygienic pallet boxes because the competitor’s boxes they had been using broke quickly,” Wissuwa explains. “They soon realised that the CB3 box is much better, very stable and durable, even at high trip rates.”

On the new customer’s part, the requirements concerning the boxes are also very demanding: “Filling them, transporting them over a distance of 100km and more to the next processing site, where they are emptied. The Craemer pallet boxes proved to withstand these challenges, whereas the competitor’s boxes broke quickly during usage.”

Since the market launch of the Craemer pallet box CB3 in 2017, the stable combination of pallet and box made of food-safe polyethylene has been a success. The fact that the load carrier is integral part of the container makes the logistics processes in many industries considerably easier. The CB3 box with the industrial pallet dimension of 1,200mm x 1,000mm and a height of 720mm is made in one piece with three longitudinal runners and has a capacity of 610 litres.

Thanks to its sturdy construction and features, it offers many advantages for daily operations: Additional ribs above the entry openings provide increased impact protection against forklift tines; its smooth inner surfaces ensure easy emptying, simple cleaning and good drying properties; thanks to the three robust runners the box runs smoothly on automated conveyor systems; integrated locking devices at the four corners ensure safe stacking of boxes (stacking cams); optional retrofitting with RFID transponders for tracking the transport and shipping route via radio frequency identification is possible thanks to a special retaining device; a strippled area allows easy attachment and removal of temporary stickers; various fields for prints provide space for individual hot stamping, and the space-saving three-in-two stacking permits efficient use of space during empty transport and storage.

Tried and tested in food industry

Craemer pallet boxes are mainly used in the food processing industry, especially for transporting and storing meat, as well as poultry and fish. Numerous other industries profit from the advantages of CB3, among others the waste disposal and trade sector.

The German-Polish kebab producer needed reliable transport containers in its new plant to transport abattoir waste – chicken bones from its production of grilled poultry – to an animal feed manufacturer. Category 3 waste (animal by-products; ABPs – not suitable for human consumption with the lowest risk level) is subject to high safety and hygiene requirements, even though it may only be processed as ingredient in animal feeds. Searching for a sturdy, high-quality alternative to the currently used more fragile boxes, the management finally found what they were looking for at Craemer.

Easy cleaning and drying

“The CB3 pallet box fully meets the criteria of the kebab producer and also fulfils the legally defined hygiene regulations, of course,” confirms Wissuwa, who is responsible for the sale of Craemer products in western Poland. And what is more, the material prevents chemical reactions when it gets into contact with fats and acids, which is an essential quality feature given the often very fatty animal by-products. Thanks to the smooth inner surfaces, CB3 boxes can be easily cleaned using high pressure with hot water and food-safe chemicals.

Since March 2022, the German-Polish company has been using a few dozen CB3 boxes in basalt grey, which is one of seven standard colours in addition to optional special colours. To distinguish deliveries from different companies, each pallet box was hot-printed with the word “BEST” to identify the owner.

“This imprint is appropriate: Our pallet boxes are simply the best,” says the sales expert from Craemer’s representative office in Poland. Since the CB3 pallet box has continued to prove itself as a safe and sturdy all-rounder in use, the second delivery already took place in autumn 2022. In future, the “best” solution will systematically replace the former boxes until the poultry kebab producer works exclusively with the reliable CB3.

 

‘Twin peak’ challenge ahead for FMCG

Posted on by David Priestman

The European FMCG market will likely experience an unparalleled ‘twin peak’ of consumer demand in the fourth quarter of 2022 as a winter football World Cup and Christmas arrive back-to-back for the first time.

Palletways Group pallet movement figures across Europe identify a 16% jump in pallets in the three months leading up to and including the 2021 football European Championship Final, compared to usual summer pallet movement trends. This surge is in addition to the festive rush, where there is a typical 25% jump in average daily movements in the 90 days leading-up to Christmas Day compared to the first quarter of the calendar year.

The potential for a 2022 ‘twin peak’ represents a once-off challenge for pallet networks, hauliers, retailers, and manufacturers, as they consider how to manage an uptick in movements and get

FMCG goods from factory to consumer on time and in line with demand.

Luis Zubialde, Palletways Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “As we head towards this ‘twin peak’ and our customers and members face the challenge of managing different demands, everything we invest in, whether innovative technology or member support, comes together to provide unrivalled customer service excellence.

“Data management to predict how our operations must adapt to pressures not by the day, but by the hour, is critical. Our cutting-edge software tools combined with experienced, knowledgeable analysts enables us to consider factors, like European and national events, and predict the impact on network-wide operations. Predictive analytics enable us to speed processes up in our 20+ hubs across the continent and provide access to international markets quickly.”

Predictive analytics also underpin the full Palletways service offer whatever the market conditions, including Saturday morning pallet delivery and home pallet delivery (Pallets to Consumers).

Mike Harrison, Palletways UK Operations Director, said: “Our approach to data and predictive analytics is a crucial reason why we now maintain the highest number of members in Palletways UK history. It supports members in delivering excellent services for their customers.

“Our members work exceptionally hard all-year round. The effectiveness of predictive analytics is only beneficial if highly motivated people use the data to improve their operations and go the extra mile for customers during their peak periods. This quality is one of the key features of our members.”

Sustainable plastic pallets for chemical industry

Posted on by David Priestman

Cabka, a specialist for load carriers made of recycled plastic, now provides two new pallets: the Eco CP3 and the Eco CP9. These are designed to make the logistics of the chemical industry more efficient and at the same time meet the requirements of the circular economy. The two pallets are on a similar economic level to the wooden pallet solutions but with the advantages of a plastic pallet. Cabka is thus pursuing its goal of combining economic efficiency with ecological sustainability.

Cabka has numerous pallets in its range for the chemical industry with different designs, sizes and specifications. “We improved the design for the next generation of Eco CP3- and Eco CP9- pallets. With the input of the world’s leading chemical companies, we have made these sustainable load carriers more reliable and safer than existing solutions on the market,” explains Jean-Marc van Maren, Chief Product Officer at Cabka.

Plastic vs. wood

The use of plastic pallets in the chemical industry is becoming increasingly popular – until now, the industry usually transported its containers on special wooden pallets. However, these have some disadvantages: Their heavy weight is a double burden – resulting in difficult handling and rising transport costs. The wood is susceptible to moisture and contamination which can also affect the cleanliness of the items stored on it. Broken or splintered pallets can injure employees as well as damage packaging and often need to be repaired.

In addition, irregularities easily cause disruptions in automated storage and transport systems which are increasingly used in the chemical industry. Another aspect is that wooden pallets are often not available in sufficient quantities in times of a prospering economy, resulting in delays and bottlenecks. In order to improve logistics processes, alternative solutions are therefore increasingly coming into the focus of users.

Plastic pallets have many advantages: they are extremely dimensionally stable and have a long service life. Shrinkage or breakage play no role with them. Exact dimensions and shapes ensure a high level of process reliability and enable precise adaptation to automated storage and conveyor technology. Their low dead weight relieves employees during manual handling and saves costs, fuel as well as CO2 during transport. The robust and pest-free surfaces are easy to clean, achieving the highest hygiene standards. Nestable pallets also reduce floor space and storage costs. Users thus benefit from numerous functional and economic advantages.

More sustainability, safety and process reliability

The Eco CP3 and Eco CP9 pallets are equivalent to the standard CP3 and CP9 pallets, offering numerous advantages for the users as they are made of recycled plastic and not wood. They are sustainable like all Cabka products – the company uses 100% recycled materials that are themselves 100% recyclable for all its transport solutions.

The pallets are safe, since they prevent injuries caused by splinters, rotten wood, but also packaging damage such as torn big bags and sacks. The load carriers offer consistent dimensions and impact resistance, helping to reduce stoppages when working with automation systems. The pallets carry loads safely also in high racking. All these advantages help save costs.

The pallets for chemical industry producers, suppliers and companies, which export products to customers with high hygienic standards, are now even more user-friendly: Cabka increased the number of ribs at the runner and the corner radius runners-feet in order to make the bottom deck more resistant. The corners are also reinforced to improve impact resistance.

The Eco CP3- and Eco CP9-plastic pallets are very light yet robust and shock-resistant. The CP3 is a three-runner pallet made from recycled polyolefin with 1,140 x 1,140 x 150mm (w x l x h), and a weight of about 12.5kg. The pallet is designed for dynamic loads of 1,400kg. At a weight of 14kg, the CP9 is similar in design to the CP3. The difference is that this pallet has a double-deck design. Due to the five runners, this pallet is even more stable than the CP3. Its design makes it particularly suitable to block stacking, as the support frame optimally distributes the weight over the load underneath.

 

Pressures remain despite material price drop

Posted on by David Priestman

Supply chains across Europe have been warned that remaining high prices of inputs other than raw materials are expected to keep costs of essential products such as pallets and packaging high for the foreseeable future.

According to some European industry indices, the costs of raw materials used to make packaging – pallet wood and steel (for nails) – fell during Q3/2022. However, the high cost of energy and fuel are pushing upward rates for logistics, and for heat treating and kiln drying timber. Meanwhile, other higher-priced inputs, including labour, are now making up a considerably larger proportion of the price of goods such as pallets and packaging than they were previously. This has pushed the actual price of these items up significantly.

According to the European Road Freight Rates Benchmark Report, produced by Transport Intelligence, Upply and IRU, in Q3/2022, average European road freight contract prices reached an all-time high in (129.7 index points), a rise of 5.4 points on quarter 2 and 19.6 points on the same period last year. In the spot market, rates grew to 142.6 points, an increase of 6.0 points on the previous quarter and 26.4 points year-on-year.

The report added that the cost of diesel usually accounts for one third of total operating transport costs – but may now account for 50% of costs.

Market and consumer data company Statista says the average monthly OPEC basket crude oil price rose from US$85.41 in January 2022 to $117.72 in June. Meanwhile, European Union agency Eurostat said that hourly labour costs rose by 4.0% in the euro area in the second quarter of the year and 4.4% compared with the same quarter the previous year.

Increased costs of inputs such as these are impacting on manufacturing businesses of all kinds around Europe, including the pallet and packaging sector.

Fons Ceelaert, Secretary General of the European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB), said: “Having reached all-time highs, raw material costs have eased slightly in recent months. However, national associations across Europe are reporting that ongoing highs in the cost of energy, transport and labour are still impacting heavily on the prices paid by manufacturers and repairers.

Material price drop

“Pallet and packaging businesses across Europe are working closely with their customers to minimise the impact of these continuing pressures. In the meantime, FEFPEB will continue to monitor this situation and keep the market informed about the latest developments.”

FEFPEB’s recent congress for members held in Florence, Italy, at the end of September, addressed the current challenges facing the sector. The event, titled ‘Wooden Pallets and Packaging in the Centre of the Sustainable Economy’, featured presentations and discussion on current crises, including tackling energy and shipping costs, building on the industry’s strong environmental credentials, and how to recruit and retain talented staff into the future.

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Load carriers for the beverage industry

Posted on by David Priestman

In addition to hygiene and safety, durability and economy also play a significant role in producing, filling and packaging of beverages. Craemer Group, a world leader in plastic logistics solutions, has developed a new generation of sturdy, hygienic, non-slip beverage pallets. Also interesting for the beverage industry are pallet boxes from Craemer.

When it comes to hygiene and safety, processes in the beverage industry are subject to stringent requirements and legal regulations. Plastic pallets make a decisive contribution. Craemer Group, an experienced partner in beverage logistics, is a pioneer in plastics processing: Back in 1967, Craemer developed the world’s first one-piece injection-moulded plastic pallet. Sturdy, hygienic, durable, safe, hard-wearing, versatile, maintenance-free – these are the main characteristics of today’s load carriers that are made of high-quality, food-safe and recyclable polyethylene (PE).

In the brewing and beverage industry or in the beverage wholesale trade, the following applies: When producing, filling, packaging, transporting and storing sensitive raw materials and goods, hygienic and absolutely reliable handling must be ensured. For safe (production-) technical and (intra-) logistical processes, Craemer provides load carriers made of robust plastic that are characterised by high functionality, load-bearing capacity, process reliability, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

The innovative industry solutions are pool-compatible and can be used universally along the entire logistics chain. They guarantee safe beverage handling in automated systems, when using forklift trucks, in high racks or when storing, for example, containers with concentrates in a refrigerated environment.

Versatile in use

Whether light or heavy beverage packages, Craemer develops customised solutions for storing and transporting barrels and containers, cardboard boxes and plastic crates containing bottles or six-packs of cans. The CR plastic pallet, for example, is one of Craemer’s successful load carriers used in the beverage industry around the world. Perfect for heavy loads and all types of containers: the Euro L1 in the size of the Euro wooden pallet (load-bearing capacity in high racks 1250kg) and L3, the multi-use pallet (2000kg) with evenly closed runners, optionally available with Palgrip anti-slip plates (L3) for even better material flow. The TC Palgrip is easy to clean with completely closed top deck and smooth lower deck.

Thanks to the Palgrip anti-slip coating on the top deck, which is a standard feature, all these heavy-duty pallet models hold the load safely even in damp conditions or inclined positions. Controllable via the conventional stacker cranes, palletisers and depalletisers, they run maintenance-free and smoothly on all standard hoists and conveyors, and are suitable for roller conveyors, chain conveyors and automated high-rack warehouses.

Another novelty in the Craemer portfolio is the large-volume CB3 High pallet box. With a height of 1140mm, it provides extra protection during transport and storage in the beverage industry.

Heavy-duty pallets

Whether milk, mineral water, lemonade, juice or alcohol – each type of beverage places its own demands on the packaging and on handling the various processes. Craemer pallets permit a wide range of applications. With its external dimensions (l x w x h: 1200 x 800 x 150mm), the Euro L1 corresponds exactly to the wooden Euro pallet. Unlike wood, the one-piece PE injection-moulded pallet is extremely robust and durable – without any signs of wear or chipping. The pallet is provided with five reinforcement profiles, permitting a load-bearing capacity of 7500kg in static condition and 1250kg during transport or in high racks.

Craemer’s new L3 plastic pallet, a further development of the C3-5 pallet, is also particularly hard-wearing and durable. It is the ideal all-purpose pallet for the brewing and beverage industry. Whether for transporting and storing packages with PET or glass bottles, aluminium or steel cans, composite beverage cartons or HDPE bottles in beverage crates, foil or cardboard containers, it is suitable for all purposes. The L3 boasts a high load-bearing capacity (7500kg static load, 2000kg dynamic load, up to 2000kg in high racks) and slip resistance.

Other features: In industrial size with dimensions of 1200x1000x160mm (L x W x H), it is equipped with three welded runners, 5mm outer rims and five corrosion-protected reinforcement profiles.

Craemer says its completely closed plastic pallets of the TC series with full-surface Palgrip anti-slip deck also perfectly meet the requirements of the beverage industry. The coated top deck and smooth lower deck of the TC Palgrip are characterised by excellent cleaning properties, while the cavity- and rib-free design of the sturdy and durable hygiene pallet reliably protects against contamination or water ingress.

The load-bearing capacity in the rack can optionally be increased to up to 2000kg with the help of integrated, corrosion-protected metal reinforcement profiles. Chamfered edges on both sides of the non-welded runners allow for optimal transport with ground conveyors. The dimensionally stable TC Palgrip is available in Euro size of 1200 x 800mm with three runners (TC1) and in industrial size of 1200 x 1000mm with three (TC3) or five runners (TC3-5). The height of the TC pallets is 160mm.

All reusable pallets from Craemer have the same properties: Thanks to their high quality, they retain their shape even with intensive use and increasing number of trips – thus making them durable, sustainable and economical. In addition, the robust load carriers can withstand temperatures of -30 to +40°C, with short-term heat resistance of up to 90°C. For seamless tracking and tracing, Craemer pallets are optionally available with RFID transponders. Dedicated fields for prints provide space for individually stamped logos, lettering or numbering.

Pallet box in industrial size

The large-volume CB3 High is a versatile, pallet box for the beverage industry. With a height of 1140mm, a capacity of approx. 1000 litres and a weight of 46 or 49kg, it is suitable for particularly large quantities – with extra safety. The sturdy ribbed lower deck provides additional strength to the container floor, integrated stacking cams secure the hold. The hard-wearing, sturdily constructed CB3 High is available in industrial size with closed walls and three longitudinal runners or nine feet. Additional ribs above the entry openings provide increased impact protection against forklift tines, while the seamless construction and smooth interior walls ensure easy emptying, cleaning and drying.

The pallet box is optionally available with one open 1” and one open 2” drain port. If necessary, markings facilitate the later drilling of the standard closed holes with integrated thread. Custom-fit lids are available as additional accessories.

 

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