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Tag: wood pallets

Timber Pallets and Packaging Acquisition

Posted on by David Priestman

James Jones & Sons has announced the expansion of its UK Pallets & Packaging Division through the acquisition of H.G. Timber Ltd, based in Buckingham. H.G. Timber started trading in 1945 and is currently under the third generation management of the Theodoulou family. The business is one of the most modern and well respected operators in the pallet and packaging and racking sectors, and has benefitted from a progressive investment philosophy over the last few years.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome H.G. Timber and its employees into the James Jones & Sons Ltd Group, and this acquisition represents the conclusion of many years of dialogue and discussion between both families,” commented Tom Bruce-Jones, Chairman of James Jones & Sons Ltd. “Their reputation, expertise and geographical location add a further dimension to our national network, and we believe this will greatly enhance our ability to service both our local and national customer base.”

HG Timber operates eight high speed automated and robotic production lines producing 2-way and 4-way pallets, with the capacity to manufacture in excess of 1.8 million timber products every year on a single shift basis. Critically, the company has just commissioned its latest Viking Turbo line, which will further enhance production capabilities.

Peter McKenzie, Managing Director of James Jones & Sons Pallets & Packaging Division, added: “The vision and investment in cutting-edge automated production lines at H.G. Timber closely align with the philosophy we’ve adopted at James Jones & Sons Ltd. Together, we are poised to offer an unrivalled national service while maintaining the highest standards in pallet and packaging quality. This acquisition will also enable us to broaden our product offering in both pallets and racking systems. I have known Alistair and his team for many years, and their experience and drive will be invaluable as we move forward.”

“This has been a momentous decision for my family and Laurence Pyle, Sales Director of HG Timber Ltd, but we are confident that the next chapter of our family’s legacy will be in very safe hands within the James Jones family business,” said Alistair Theodoulou, Managing Director of HG Timber Ltd. “I look forward too to working alongside Peter and his management team and to identifying further growth opportunities. This move will help to safeguard our jobs and will guarantee security of raw material supply within a vertically integrated forestry and sawmill business in order to benefit our enlarged customer base.”

In parallel, James Jones & Sons’ Australian subsidiary, Hyne Group, announced the acquisition of Pinetec Pty Ltd last week, a pallet and packaging business based in Perth, Western Australia. This marks the Hyne Group’s first manufacturing presence in the West in its 142 year history and follows its expansion into pallet manufacturing through the acquisition of Rodpak Pallets & Packaging and Express Pallets & Crates earlier this year.

Hyne Group CEO, Jim Bindon said Pinetec will continue to operate as usual but with the benefit of being part of a global network, “With the broader support of Hyne and James Jones Group, Pinetec’s capability and credentials as a business partner to their many customers will be enhanced.”

With these acquisitions, James Jones & Sons Ltd continues its commitment to growth and innovation in the pallet and packaging sectors, solidifying its position as a leading provider of sustainable, high-quality timber products across the UK and Australia.

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Pallet Reuse Incentive is a must

Posted on by David Priestman

The Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) says discussions with the UK’s DEFRA (department for environment & farming) on the implementation of a reuse incentive scheme for wooden packaging have been “extremely positive”.

The organisation, together with other wood product associations, have been campaigning for a reuse initiative with two central aims: to maximise the reuse of wooden pallets and packaging in supply chains and support the development of a circular economy.

The Scottish government this week cancelled its target of reducing greenhouse gases by 75 per cent by 2030, having missed eight of its last 12 annual climate goals. It is the latest organisation to soften flagship environmental objectives, with both the Conservative and Labour party having made U-turns on key policies in the past year.

TIMCON President John Dye said incentivising reuse was now a must to help maintaining progress towards net zero and sending out the positive messages to the UK public.

TIMCON has collaborated with other wood-based sectors and submitted a proposal to DEFRA to introduce a workable reuse framework as part of a Proposed Reuse Incentive Scheme document. The document has two goals: to maximise the number of times wooden packaging is reused before, ultimately, it is recycled; and to increase the use of wooden transport tools – including pallets, cases, crates, cable reels, and so on – in domestic and international supply chains.

The reuse framework includes information on how reuse should be incentivised, measured, and recorded; how supply chain users can recognise a reuseable pallet; how to ensure pallets are recycled at the end of their useful life; where obligations for reuse lie; and several other recommendations.

Pallet Reuse Incentive

Dye said: “In our proposed Reuse Incentive Scheme we have set out a workable framework for reusing wooden pallets and packaging and shown how this can be implemented. We are strongly recommending that government progresses this straightforward, easy-to-implement initiative to support its plans to reduce greenhouse gases by 100 per cent by 2050. Our recent discussions with DEFRA on when and how such a scheme can be implemented have been extremely positive.

“Wood packaging material (WPM) manufacturing and repair businesses are inherently founded on principles of circularity. They manufacture products from sustainably managed trees, which means for every one that is harvested, more are grown in their place. They then repair and reuse pallets until they are ready to be recycled into other products – from chipboard to animal bedding. Their business model is sustainable from start to finish. Encouraging these industries will, in turn, boost demand for tree planting, provide a solid foundation for our circular economy, and make a sizeable contribution to achieving the government’s 2050 targets.”

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Collaboration and Data Key to Timber Industry

Posted on by David Priestman

Collaboration between different sector organisations is increasingly important to achieving shared targets for the timber industry, according to John Dye, President of the Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON).

At the general meeting of TIMCON members, held in Manchester in January, Dye said strong relationships with international and domestic associations including European Federation of Pallet & Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB), National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA), National Association of Pallet Distributors (NAPD), Timber Development UK (TDUK), Wood Panel Industries Federation (WPIF), and the Wood Recyclers Association (WRA) – which were all represented at the event – are vital to progressing the interests of timber-based businesses. This included cooperating on policy matters affecting the industry such as the PPWR and working together to source high quality data to inform better decision making for the business.

NWPCA Vice President of Public Affairs Jason Ortega, echoed the theme of international partnerships as he presented an update on his organisation’s activities. This includes a new carbon calculator it has developed and from which it will share learnings as TIMCON embarks on a similar initiative to help its membership meet increasing sustainability obligations.

Marcus Kirschner of the German Wood Packaging Federation (HPE) and FEFPEB’s PPWR Committee said working with national organisations across Europe is a central part in lobbying EU
policymakers. This includes ensuring they understand that the wooden packaging and pallet industry is naturally sustainable and should be at the heart of its circular economy principles, and helping achieve acceptable results on PPWR.

Dye said: “Over the past decade, TIMCON has fostered close productive partnerships with our pallet and packaging industry counterparts across the world and related wood-based sectors. These relationships help us establish and communicate shared positions and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. At a time of significant international tensions, this spirit of solidarity, cooperation, and friendship helps strengthen us all, as individual businesses, as associations, and as a timber industry overall.”

He added that with TIMCON representing the UK and Ireland, its remit included members both inside and outside the EU, again highlighting the significance of working towards international solutions that benefitted all. The need for quality data on the business from within the industry was also highlighted by Guy Watt of John Clegg Consulting, who presented the findings of the UK Wood Pallets & Packaging Market in 2022. The latest edition of this annual report, which is jointly commissioned by TIMCON and Forest Research (the research arm of the Forestry Commission), showed a 7 per cent drop in production of new pallets, to 45.3million, representing a fall of approximately 3.4m pallets.

This follows the 8.3 per cent increase in pallet manufacture shown in last year’s report – and may be followed by a larger decrease for 2023. Pallet repairs, meanwhile, have risen to 48.9m, an increase of 1.7 per cent on 2021. Watt said surveys for the market report’s next edition would be issued to the membership much earlier, during February this year. This, said Dye, will allow it to be published earlier, reducing uncertainty around volumes, and helping inform discussions with Defra and other government departments.

The TIMCON meeting also featured presentations by Charlie Law, Sustainability Director for TDUK, and Nick Boulton, TDUK Head of Technical and Trade Policy. Law gave an update on the UK timber industry’s net zero action plan and the specific ways in which the pallet and packaging sector can support it. Boulton presented latest UK market industry trends, including timber imports, demand, and forecasts.

QR Pallet Launch Boosts Traceability

Posted on by David Priestman

EPAL UK & Ireland has announced that it has launched a traceable pallet that will significantly improve the traceability and efficiency of users’ supply chains.

The EPAL Euro QR pallet features a scannable code linked to a unique serial number, helping to boost supply chain visibility, improve efficiency, and optimise stock management.

Located on the right-hand side of the pallet, the QR code can be linked to the goods being transported, and gives users other essential information such as the pallet manufacturer, age of the pallet, how many times it has been used in the EPAL network, the number of repairs it has had, storage times, and location.

Pallet users can share this information easily with its partner suppliers and customers in the supply chain. The improved visibility will reduce pallet loses because it enables businesses to know exactly where their pallets are located and enable swift action in the case of events such as product recalls.

The QR code is marked on the Euro pallets with long-lasting inkjet printing, successfully tested within the EPAL network, and readable with a standard barcode reader.

Felicity Smith, National Secretary for EPAL UK & Ireland, said: “The Euro QR pallet is a significant development for EPAL, adding traceability to the list of benefits users already enjoy from being part of the EPAL network. It is an innovation that means EPAL pallets now not only protect the goods they are carrying but can also provide operational data that is essential for an efficient modern supply chain.”

The Euro QR pallets are manufactured and repaired to the same independently audited quality standards as regular EPAL pallets. The pallets are freely exchangeable within the existing EPAL international pallet pool across 35 countries. Administering some 650 million EPAL Euro pallets and 2 million box pallets internationally, EPAL is the world’s largest open exchange pool.

Pallet Control Tower Europe Launch

Posted on by David Priestman

During the international annual meeting of all European EPAL members, Pallet Control Tower b.v. (PCT) joined the Dutch EPAL department. PCT launches a new European standard in collection, delivery and matching of Euro pallets and other RTIs.

The 24/7 online platform uses blockchain technology and is therefore able to convert the value of new and used pallets into e-Credits. These e-Credits are collected, stored, and spent in the participants’ e-Wallet. This creates an open pooling system with the strengths of a closed system.

In recent years, the price of Euro pallets has risen and fluctuated. The physical ‘swapping’ of pallets is becoming increasingly difficult due to the increasingly complex international logistics chains. The use and settlement of pallets, on the other hand, is becoming increasingly important and more comprehensive. Rules between companies are not always clear. Drivers don’t have the time or knowledge to ‘swap’. And transporting empty pallets in trucks is certainly not sustainable. Something that Buck Consultants International also observed in an earlier study.

The research was part of the basis for this new platform. In the system, end users, transporters / DCs and pallet depots, traders and manufacturers are linked to each other. A virtual network is created in which Collection, Delivery & Matching of EPAL Euro pallets and other RTIs is possible 24/7 and throughout Europe. Pallets are given a value based on the EUWID and are discounted in a wallet via an e-Credit. Physical delivery is thus reserved to nearby depots, traders or manufacturers. This creates a sustainable system that anticipates new regulations from Brussels.

PCT Online will be rolled out throughout the entire logistics chain in the coming months. Interested parties can find more information (including a video) on the website www.palletcontroltower.eu or request a demo.

Kite Launches Ventilated Pallet Wrap

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading UK packaging supplier, Kite Packaging, has launched an innovative ventilated pallet wrap ideal for packaging products that require ventilation to maintain their quality in storage and transit. This includes fresh produce, dairy products, meat, fish, beverages, and refrigerated and frozen goods. It is also intended for pharmaceutical and chemical products, animal feed and horticulture. The film is BRC certified, making it ideal for food products.

Small holes in the film’s surface stops condensation from forming and becoming trapped within stretch wrap layers. It does this by allowing air to escape via the holes, preventing any moisture from forming and spoiling packaged goods. Ventilated pallet wrap is 100% recyclable and uses less material due to its perforated surface, offering a cost saving when compared to other films.

Pallet Wrap Film

Manufactured from blown film, it offers great puncture resistance and strength, keeping goods stable and well-protected on a pallet during handling and transport. It comes pre-stretched to the optimum elastic point to ensure high quality adherence to products and pallets, further strengthening its protective qualities. Ventilated pallet wrap is compatible with all machine and hand dispensers.

To learn more about the products and services available at Kite Packaging, please visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk

Document Allows further Wood Packaging Repair Options

Posted on by David Priestman

Heat-treated wooden components will be temporarily allowed for the repair of wooden pallets and packaging, increasing options for businesses who want to grow their capacity of ISPM15-compliant wooden packaging material (WPM) before the final Brexit deadline on December 31, 2020.

The new measure was proposed by the UK Government and also approved by the devolved governments on a temporary basis to help raise stocks of compliant WPM in the weeks remaining before the cut-off date, and in the first half of next year. This is because, as the UK Government has stated, from January 1, 2021 ‘it will be a legal requirement for all wood packaging material moving in both directions between UK and the EU to be compliant with a treatment and mark as specified in the International Standard for Phytosanitary measures No 15 (ISPM15).’

Accordingly, the ‘temporary easement’ addendum to the UK Wood Packaging Material Marking Programme (UKWPMMP), which governs ISPM15 in the country, now permits the additional option of ISPM15 repairs to avoid ‘the total retreatment of pallets after repair’, as required by the original regulations. The easement is open only to existing members of the UKWPMMP and their approved sites and will be subject to them fulfilling the terms and conditions of the addendum. It will be valid until July 31, 2021.

John Dye, President of the Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation, said: “We support this temporary addendum to the UKWPMMP. It is a further step forward in our industry’s preparations for Brexit, which will give companies the ability to repair pallets to ISPM15 standards more rapidly and moves our business further towards its compliance targets.

“Using heat-treated wood for repairs is also more energy efficient as it saves a significant amount of kilning capacity when compared to treating the whole of every repaired pallet. We also expect this measure will encourage an increase in repairs, which in turn will help towards Government targets for reuse.”

Companies wishing to take advantage of the easement change need to declare their intention by emailing the UKWPMMP Secretary, who will update the Forestry Commission inspectors and the relevant auditors; this will ensure the right traceability and plant health obligations continue to be met. There are no additional fees for members of the scheme.

Au Revoir, Wood

Posted on by David Priestman

One of France’s largest food retailers has said goodbye to the wooden pallet in its logistics operations. The logistics company of France’s fifth largest food retail group has said goodbye to the wooden pallet and is now building up its own inventory of plastic pallets. For the internal flow of goods between its 29 warehouses and 1,600 supermarkets in the chain, the freight forwarder has purchased 330,000 Craemer CS1 plastic pallets.

The first pallets were delivered in 2018, and the entire order volume is expected to be in use by summer 2020. The company switched from wood to plastic mainly in order to improve working conditions for warehouse employees as well as to meet the requirements of increasing automation and a policy of sustainability. The logistics company employs 5,000 people and has 1,800 lorries that deliver 700 million package units annually. The freight forwarder uses the plastic pallets exclusively for palletising and transporting mixed picked items (heterogeneous pallets) to meet the supply needs of its supermarkets directly from its own warehouses.

Bye Bye Wood

“The top deck of the CS1 is mostly closed, making the pallet ideal for bagged goods, cardboard boxes and other packaging units,” says Cyril Wahl, Sales Director at Craemer France Sarl. “And the pallet is equipped with three metal reinforcements, which allows it to carry up to 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) in a high rack. Because the freight forwarder has equipped its lorry trailers with pallet racks, we provided this customer with a CS1 that has special, non-slip runners. This solution ensures that the pallets do not slip on the smooth and narrow shelf support beams when the lorry is moving.”

According to a company spokesperson, the logistics company is pursuing several goals in switching to plastic. “On the one hand, in the future it will be important for us to use only load carriers that work with the automation technology we recently introduced into the company’s warehouses. Deformed wooden pallets threaten to block the mechanical conveyor belts. Having our own inventory of plastic pallets makes us less dependent on wooden pallets and also ensures a seamless flow of goods along the supply chain.

On the other hand, it is important to us to improve the working conditions of warehouse employees and in that way to meet the goals of our corporate social responsibility. Part of that is eliminating
the risk of injury from wood splinters and easing the workload. The CS1 plastic pallet only weighs 17 kg (37.5 lb), meaning it is much easier to handle than the 23-kg (50.7-lb) wooden pallet.”

Read the whole story here

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