Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Euro Pallet Benefits

By Ron Wood

European importers often ask American suppliers to ship their products on europallets.

American companies usually have not heard of the euro pallet type and do not know that europallets are the most common industrial pallet standard in the European Union. Below are six different advantages that the euro pallet type delivers to companies in the European supply chain.

First the euro pallet type has a value in Europe even if it is used. Local pallet recyclers will buy back used euro pallets from companies who no longer have a use for them, because the pallet is designed for reuse.

The euro pallet type is also the most widely used type that moves through European supply chains which are typically highly automated. Manufacturers of medical equipment, drugs, automobile parts and chemicals almost always process their products in automated material handling systems that only use europallets. In contrast to the euro pallet type, managers of automated warehouses in Europe face higher costs and significant delays when they have to move goods imported from America off American pallet types and on to europallets.

Moreover, American stringer pallets often cause costly disposal fees for European importers because of European Union's Packaging Waste Reduction Laws, which levy expensive disposal taxes on pallets that cannot be reused. Euro pallets are exchangeable and built to be repaired, and therefore are not subject to these taxes until they reach the end of their lifecycle.

Additionally, Euro pallets are strictly regulated. The non-profit European Pallet Association (EPAL) regulates the construction and repair of Euro pallets worldwide, ensuring uniform quality standards for long-term, safe reuse.

The International Organization for Standardization also recognizes europallets as one of only six pallet standards in the world.

Traceability of each unit is built-in to genuine Euro pallets. Companes that build fake Euro pallets with counterfeited markings are aggressively prosecuted in Europe. Users as well as authorities can request an inspection of any suspect Euro pallets.

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